


Empress

by Jarm



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: AU, F/M, Imperial Psych torture, Jail Cell Roomies, Kind of rewrote canon. Like A lot., Power Shift, crazy twist, poor luke
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-18
Updated: 2017-02-17
Packaged: 2018-09-18 10:04:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 32,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9379652
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jarm/pseuds/Jarm
Summary: An AU where Luke is captured by the Empire and imprisoned after leaving Degobah after Yoda's death. With the knowledge that Leia is his sister and that her and Han have no idea he has been captured, Luke is faced with the reality that no one may ever come looking for him.This one Imperial move drastically changes the entire canon future causing the events of Return of the Jedi to never happen. Especially because of who they put in the cell next to him...





	1. The Hole.

2 ABY

 

Day seven. 

By now he had counted all the rivets in his cell and had started to think he should name them. They usually came in once a day, roughed him up a bit then threw him back into this harsh lonely room. It was the only way he could tell there were days but even that he was beginning to suspect. The room was barely functional. He wasn’t use to lavish comfort so the hard bed/metal plank, didn’t bother him. He had a small toilet and running water. That was almost a luxury he wasn’t use to. He had been playing over and over each of Yoda’s teachings to him, each day delving a bit deeper into his force skills, yet not having found his escape just yet. 

Yoda’s death still affected him. For a few days he felt lost and uncertain but he pushed those aside. Obi-Wan had given him a task. Had told him about his sister. Leia. He didn’t even have a chance to tell her she was his sister. Whenever he thought about it, he locked it tightly back up as it was the one thing no one in the galaxy knew and he wasn’t about to let that secret out to the wrong people. 

With hope they still thought he was just training on Degobah. Worst case they just believed he was dead. Either way no one was looking for him because they wouldn’t know he was in trouble. That thought was a harsh reality. What he didn’t understand though if he had been captured by Imperials was why Vader hadn’t come to see him yet… 

A small scratching caught his ear. He sat up, his bright blue eyes looking to his left as it continued. It sounded like a… his eyes focused on a rivet as it’s head began to turn. He watched silently as it continued to turn until it had unscrewed itself form it’s position and than fell with a clank onto his bed. 

“Hello?” 

The voice was faint and Luke Skywalker was against the wall immediately. 

“Hello?” He called back quietly when suddenly he felt something brush up against his mind. He stumbled back with alarm and his heart rate jumped. “Jedi…” he whispered and rushed back to the small hole. “Who’s there?” He demanded desperately. 

“My name is Mara. Mara Jade,” her voice carried through the small hole and he stilled. A woman. “Who are you?” 

“I’m Luke Skywalker. Are you with the Rebel Alliance?” He asked leaning against the cold surface of the wall.

“No, I’ve been in hiding. I have this,” she stalled and he pressed closer to the wall.

“You are a Jedi,” he breathed and he felt her probe once more hit his shields and he quickly lowered them, allowing her to see a piece of him. She jumped back from the wall and pulled her probe back abruptly. It was the first time she had ever tried to gage someone and they actually allowed it. He was warm and kind. That was a weird feeling… She rushed back to the small hole. 

“Don’t say words like that out loud. They don’t exist anymore,” she snapped quietly, an edge to her voice that spoke of a hard life that had not begun when she was put in this cell. 

“And yet here are two of us,” he confessed and she leaned against the cold metal of the wall that lay between them. 

“The Luke Skywalker?” She suddenly questioned, a smirk in her voice and he settled against his bunk, something foreign coming to his face. A small smile. A smile fueled by hope that he wasn’t alone anymore. “Did you really have your way with three ewoks and two twileks after the destruction of the death star?” She asked with an air of scandal and Luke laughed out right. 

“Seriously, that is what is going around about me?” He demanded and he heard her laugh carry through the small hole. He leaned closer to it trying to drink it in and not miss a sound. He didn’t believe laughter existed in this place so to hear it was a bit of a marvel. “You are the third Jedi I’ve ever met,” he confessed laying his hand against the cold metal.

“I’m not a Jedi, Skywalker,” she admonished, her voice forlorn and he almost felt the pain in it. “Just a lost girl trying to survive, cursed with magical powers.” 

He had to strain to hear her as her voice trailed off. Immediately something prickled in him. A need to protect, to escape and free her from this. His mind quickly darted to his sister and how she had been held captive, the horror stories she had told them of what they had done… his hand curled into a fist as pain slashed through him. He didn’t want anyone else to suffer like that. 

“You aren’t lost anymore Mara,” his voice was strong and gentle and she held her breath at it. “I just found you,” he smiled and she felt her lips curl up. 

“I think I found you first,” she smirked and he let out a breath.

“Depends on your point of view.” 

-=-

He wasn’t even sure if they were in space anymore. Were they on a planet? Did it matter? He just didn’t understand what they were waiting for. Why not just kill him and get it over with? And why had he still not seen Vader? Surely his father would have come by now to see if he would turn. See if his son would rule the galaxy with him. He sneered at the thought. Better to die in a cell than under the influence of the Dark Side. 

He closed his eyes and grabbed onto his calm. He needed to stop thinking. 

“You are brooding again Skywalker,” her voice carries beautifully through their hole and he smirks as he leans against the wall. 

“Starting to think I’m really good at it,” he mused and she chuckled once.

“I dare say you are,” she breathed back and he settled back into her company. She had been a constant for forever it seems. He wasn’t sure how long he had been here now, the days had turned long and she was the only thing keeping him from losing his mind. She kept him strong. He imagined they were trying to break him so when they did finally approach him to turn he’d be so desperate to get out he’d consider it. He couldn’t tell if they had been here for weeks or months… or if a year had passed. All he cared about was the anchor she provided for him and he for her. They talked endlessly. The need to know someone was there was desperate and each time they awoke their force sense called out to the other. Once they found it they sat and rested in it until they were forced to sleep again. She was the closest to home he felt as each day he sought her as easily as he sought the force. In fact his first moment of wakefulness was always in search of her and he found her easier and easier each time he woke. 

“Tell me about growing up on the farm again,” she asked and he opened his eyes slowly. 

“Aren’t you bored with the same old stories by now Jade?” He questioned and he felt her amusement. He blinked and sat up straighter. He felt her amusement? 

“Are you intruding Skywalker?” She questioned a bit sharply and he quickly shook his head but not for her benefit, she couldn’t see him. Now he felt a stab of panic from her that was quickly cut off. 

“You raised your shields,” he said with more hurt than he definitely wanted to admit. It had been days… maybe months? Who the hell knew when they had stopped using preliminary shields against each other? Granted, his mind wasn’t an open vault for her to explore and hers neither but they weren’t guarded from each other. He never took advantage and never felt her either. They were prisoners of war together and they had become friends. He treasured her friendship. 

“Damn right I did,” she snapped and he was use to her temper. She was a complex creature. Very private, very guarded so when she had lowered her shields to initiate a surface trust it had meant the world to him. “What are you doing?” She accused and her voice sounded right at the hole. He stood up looking at it. The little hole had become Mara to him. He didn’t know what she looked like so that became her identity and as he stared at the small dark hole no bigger than a pinky nail he struggled for what to tell her. 

“I have no idea what you are talking about,” he sputtered with honesty and he heard her hit the wall with her fist and winced. Before he could apologize and make amends for whatever the hell was happening, his door slid open. His defenses went on high alert and he felt her drop her shields and reach out for him. Concern for him hit him and he quickly soothed her. She wanted to cry out his name but remained silent. She couldn’t give away her position or that they communicated. 

***Stay Strong Skywalker,*** the words echoed in his head and Luke’s head snapped back to the hole as he was dragged from the cell. He quickly lifted his shields and Mara felt nothing once more. They always shut the other out when they were dragged away. Mara hadn’t once and he had felt each torture they had inflicted on her and was devastated he couldn’t get to her to save her. She called him a sissy for days to try and get him over it but he knew she was thankful he cared so much. In fact he hadn’t heard so many derogatory terms that seemed more affectionate than annoyed since he had last heard Leia and Han row at each other. Theirs had more sexual tension but the small flare of affection in Mara’s voice was enough to know she treasured his friendship too. 

She quickly erected her shields back into place as she waited. She wanted to start counting but prevented herself. She didn’t want to know how long he was gone, how long they were going to torture him this time because she knew the length of time would tell her which method they used. She never forgot things like that. She set her head back against the wall and let out a breath as she silently explored what the hell was suddenly going on… 

-=-

Her door slid open and emerald eyes glanced at it quickly. A frame was tossed inside and rolled across the white floor. She was on her feet instantly and the door slid shut once more. The lump coughed and she darted towards it, the sandy brown hair giving the slumped body away immediately.

“Skywalker?” Mara questioned with surprise as she turned him over. He was cradling his stomach and a few scrapes on his face were bleeding but otherwise he looked unharmed. He wasn’t responding, just wincing. She smacked him. “Skywalker!” She demanded and his eyes slowly blinked open, a groan leaving his lips as he put a hand to his cheek she had just slapped. His bright blue met her emerald and she looked at  
him expectantly. “What did they do to you? Can you move?” She started, her voice quick and demanding. 

“Mara?” He questioned, her voice triggering in his brain. 

“Yes, farmboy. The idiots must have screwed up and thrown you in my cell.” Her fingers flexed out to touch his face but she pulled back. He could only stare at her a moment. She was… stunning. Hair the color of liquid fire framed her pale face. There were a sprinkle of freckles here and there but her eyes were penetrating and studying him with more poise than he probably was studying her. She looked shorter than him, which didn’t say much since he was pretty short, and she had a dancers body, which made sense with the stories she told him.

“You’re a human,” he sputtered a bit dumbly and her red eyebrows rose with surprise. That was the first thing he said about seeing her? 

“Skywalker, what did you think I was?” She said with a bit of an incredulous laugh and he shrugged. 

“Didn’t matter,” he said honestly and she quirked a small smile at him and touched his forehead this time, brushing his long hair out of his face. 

“You’re stunning,” he said a bit bluntly and she laughed once. “No way I could be this lucky,” he mused, his eyes leaving her as the thought had never occurred to him Mara would actually be around his age and friggen stunning. Her eyes narrowed tolerantly at him.

“Well, you aren’t getting lucky so stop thinking I’m pretty,” she warned and he pushed himself up. She helped him than felt the air leave her lungs as he wrapped his arms around her tightly, burying his face in her hair. For a moment, she wasn’t sure what he was doing. Her danger sense didn’t flare so he wasn’t technically hurting her. He was just hugging her. She felt his overwhelming happiness at finally meeting her and than having just a hug. She wrapped her hands around his back and leaned her head into his. She figured this was how a hug worked but normally people who touched her wanted to hold her a little differently… either to inflict pain or their own desires on her. Luke just wanted security. His innocence was… refreshing. 

Suddenly he pulled away and held her at arms length.

“Are you ok?” He questioned and she couldn’t stop the small smile that hit her lips. 

“I wasn’t the one who was tortured Skywalker,” she teased and he let out a breath with a slight head shrug. It hurt a bit to breathe. He may have some bruised ribs. 

“Well, they should figure out I’m in the wrong room pretty quick and come get me,” he muttered then pulled her back into his arms in another hug. 

“Oh you are so needy,” she whined hugging him tightly in return. She felt his force sense flare with comfort and it made her heart swell a bit. 

“This is the first time someone has touched me in months that isn’t trying to hurt me. Forgive the dramatics,” he chided and she smirked, her eyes rolling easily at him. She pulled back and sat more comfortably beside him. 

“I think they know you are here. I heard the camera move when they threw you in here,” she mused and he looked confused for a moment as he tried to take a category of his new injuries. Nothing serious. “They must be bored with us and hoping to see us in a jail cell holoporn,” she muttered disgusted and Luke huffed. 

“Afraid I need more romance than that,” he mused dryly and she smiled at him as he pushed back to settle against the wall. He took in his new surroundings. There were markings on the wall next to her hole she had been using to talk to him. “Is that how long we have been here?” He asked, desperate for an answer and she put a hand on his arm as she settled beside him. 

“I’m afraid I’ve been here longer than you Skywalker,” she soothed and he let his head fall back. He took her hand in his and just held it. He just wanted human contact and she could give him that. She felt his turning emotions and something overcame her that was kind of panic and a need to know if he was all right. She doubted he would just let her look him over to check for injuries but she never would normally ask. 

“It’s called concern,” he breathed easily and she arched her eyebrows at him.  
“You were raised on the run weren’t you?” 

“Something like that,” she answered cryptically and he nodded. 

“I’ve been having to guess it through your voice inflections but now I suddenly feel it from you in here,” he breathed raising a hand to his chest. He felt her ready to bolt and squeezed her hand reassuringly. “I won’t hurt you,” he soothed and she huffed.

“I’m pretty sure I can take you.”

At that he laughed. It was a bit of a sad laugh, one of exhaustion and pain from the actual physical power it took to laugh. She wondered what his real laugh would be like. A care free one. Did he still have care free laughs? 

“I’m pretty sure you could too,” he agreed than lolled his head towards her, his eyes meeting hers and she froze under his clear gaze. “You haven’t ever had a real friend have you Jade?” He asked gently, his thumb drawing lazy circles on the top of her hand. Why hadn’t he let go of it yet? “I don’t want anything from you.”

His words were affirming but he was still holding her hand and she held it up to him that he currently wanted at least one thing from her: human contact. He smirked at her, feeling her amusement. That feeling suddenly nagged her again. What had he called it? Concern. Right. 

“You seem overwhelmed,” she commented and he glanced away from her. 

“Honestly, I’d kind of convinced myself you were a droid. To discover you have arms, legs and are beautiful is a little much for me right now,” he commented dryly. Mara let that settle on her for a second before she burst into laughter. He intertwined her fingers with his and hugged her arm to him tight. Mara was real. She was ok. They were together and together… they could get out of this. 

“This having to keep touching me thing is going to end soon right?” She questioned more gently than she intended too. He was making her a bit soft. 

“Probably not,” he breathed and she let out a long-suffering sigh.

“Maybe when they realize we aren’t going to kriff each other they will throw you back in your cell,” she mused and he turned to her, a bright grin forming on his lips. 

“I’m Luke Skywalker,” he breathed holding out his other hand that wasn’t entwined with hers. She looked at the outstretched hand and shook it firmly. 

“Mara Jade,” she answered back politely. 

“I’m so glad to meet you finally,” he smiled. It looked like she imagined it would with his niave farmboy way and it made her heart melt a bit. Stupid Jedi. 

“You just say that because I have a nice rack,” she deadpanned and his smile didn’t waver. 

“You know you checked out my butt,” he shot back and her lips turned up into a smirk to match his. 

“It was in my face,” she hissed.

“Everyone loves to oogle Luke Skywalker’s rear. Oo, It’s Luke Skywalker’s bum,” he mocked dramatically and she laughed. A real laugh. The kind where her eyes crinkled and if she would have been drinking a liquid she would have spit it across the room. He drank it in. When it died down he felt his weary bones call out for a reprieve. She felt it spike through him in the force. 

“Are you ok? What can I do?” She asked a bit more hurriedly than she wished. 

“I’m going to put myself in a healing trance in a minute. I’ll be fine,” he soothed and she cocked her head at him with confusion.

“A what?” 

His eyes lit up for a minute and she felt his excitement. He had something he could teach her. 

“You teach me about healing trances and I’ll explain to you why I think we can feel each other through the force,” she said with a resigned breath and he sat up. It was painful and she felt it, causing her to wince. 

“What’s going on?” 

“Not right now Skywalker. Rest. Heal. That’s an order,” she commanded and he smirked a bit at her. 

“Thank you for letting me be your friend,” he smiled which was a bit sad through his shaggy beard and busted lip. 

“I don’t have friends Skywalker,” she admitted, her finger absently touching his lips as if it would sooth him. He closed his eyes at the contact. Her gentleness was revitalizing him. Almost renewing his faith in humanity and that made her uncomfortable for a moment. 

“You have one in me,” he responded easily, his head leaning back against the wall and she leaned into his shoulder offering him her support. She felt his mind tumble away from her as she assumed he went into a healing trance. She pulled back up her shields tight and let her shoulder shift so his unconscious head fell on it. 

 

-=-

 

She tapped his forehead gently but annoyingly over and over. How long did these stupid healing trances last? About a minute into it his eyes blinked open.

“Oh, you are awake,” she greeted and he eyed her for a moment. She smiled innocently at him and he  
couldn’t stop the small grin that responded to her. He sat up slowly feeling much better. She gave him room to move and he closed the distance between them, pulling her into his arms once more. “Oof, Skywalker,” she chastised and he sucked in a deep breath of her. “They brought us food. I need you to eat,” she ordered and he pulled back to glance at her.

“Are you used to ordering people around?” 

“Yes. Do you have a problem with it?” 

“I am a Rebel you know, we are good at rebelling,” he reminded her and she smiled turning him from her embrace towards the two small food trays. “Ah, so they did put us together on purpose.” 

“Probably for us to get attached to each other so we can be used as leverage against the other,” she offered calmly with a shrug of indifference. She felt horror spike through his side of the force and she glanced at him quickly. “Don’t think of worst case scenarios in that sheltered farm brain of yours?” She offered and his eyes narrowed a bit at her. 

“More sad for you that it’s your first instinct,” he responded. “Although I’m still hoping they really stuck us in here for a jail cell holoporn,” he mused and she grinned. 

“Not sure if a Jedi Healing Trance would help you recover from what I’d do to you in a holoporn  
Skywalker,” she taunted, her eyes all promises and he froze. 

“Wow,” he sputtered out and she grinned mercifully at him. “Are you going to be the death of me Jade?” 

“Yes.” 

Their eyes held a moment and he felt a spark travel through them as well as a bit of a sadness on the edge of his force sense. It didn’t make much sense but he was having a hard time deciding what emotions were his and hers at this point. Perhaps it was sadness since there really was no future in the dark depths of an Imperial Detention center… maybe her morbidity was starting to rub off on him.

“Especially if you don’t eat,” she added pointing to the food and he nodded with a relenting grin. 

“I’ll start eating once you explain the bond thing,” he said pulling the trays towards them. He placed one on her lap and she eyed him with amusement as he made sure she had the bigger tray and more water. 

“You are bigger,” she tried to reason with him and he shrugged.

“You are cuter.” 

“That isn’t a valid reason.”

“My Aunt Beru would kill me if I didn’t and I can’t not,” he admitted finally, holding her gaze and she relented to his seriousness. His shoulders relaxed and she smiled a bit.

“She would kill you,” she agreed and he let out a relieved sigh. She felt his force sense swirl and it wasn’t that she had relented to him that made his force sense settle but that she knew him. She knew him very well. 

“I’ve only read about it. They are called Force Bonds. There are a few different types but the main one is what one would have between a master and a padawan,” she informed and he quickly gave her his attention.

“Padawan?” 

“Oh sweet Sith… you know nothing do you?” 

“Know how to levitate you across the room,” he shot back quickly and her eyes widened. 

“You know how to what?” She asked with a bit of excitement. 

“I really hope they leave us in the same room for a few days.” 

Mara Jade grinned at him. “So we can do the jail cell holoporn?” 

“That and together we might be a fully trained Jedi. Maybe the Force brought us together for that reason,” he smiled, his farm boyish charm making her stomach jump a bit and she grinned.

“You take a lot of stock in this Force stuff,” she teased and he gave her a mock horrified look.

“I will make you a Jedi yet Jade.” 

“If only you could farmboy.”

-=-

She counted days by rations as well. They spent six “days” teaching each other all they knew of the force. Turns out there were a few Force Bonds: three to be exact.  
The first was of a Master and a Padawan. This one had many variations from a thin training bond to feel surface thoughts and send images to a training bond where a Master could influence what the padawan does.  
The latter variation of the bond caused many discussions on if that indeed  
was a Jedi bond or one used for the dark side since a Jedi is bound to not influence others actions. Mara simply smacked him and said he was naïve. 

Force Bonds were strong and the deeper they went the more power they held. The stronger the force users also the stronger the bond between them. The stronger of the force users could also weld control over the less force sensitive. Again this caused many discussions to which Luke flicked Mara on the nose and told her to stop being such a sith (another new word she had taught him.) He took the punch to the gut after that exchange with great calm and poise. 

The second type of bond was one they both agreed was not used by Jedi. It was a forced bond. One where a stronger force sensitive rips into another and burrows deep inside to greatly influence another or hurt them. They didn’t talk very much about this one. Mara had explained she shouldn’t know it even exists if she hadn’t seen it happen herself. He never got more out of her than that and didn’t really want to but she had held his hand for a solid two hours after that under his disguise of “needing human contact”. 

The third and last type of bond was a myth and dismissed as much by Mara completely. Luke thought it romantic. She called him a sap. Apparently, there could be a force bond between two romantically linked Jedi that would be a mix of the deepest training bond but also love thrown in there. 

“So, you don’t think we have a Jedi Mating Bond?” 

“I haven’t mated with you yet so I can’t confirm if we do or not,” Mara answered logically and Luke pressed his lips together thoughtfully. 

“You said that like it’s an experiment. Should we make this an experiment?” He had teased and she only smiled one of her rare smiles at him. The tolerating one, where she thought him charming only in his lack of being able to be charming. 

Luke assumed their bond was a variation of what a master and padawan would be. The closer they got, the deeper it got. He was able to feel her emotions, see inside her mind if she allowed and hear her whether she was speaking or not. He assumed it would work over long distances but since they were trapped in a ten by ten he really couldn’t test that. 

“That’s pretty,” he remarked casually and she glanced down at her wrist at the only thing he could be talking about. He felt her distaste through their bond and his eyebrow rose in question. 

“It’s a force inhibitor,” she ground out and he grabbed her wrist, turning it over to eye the golden bracelet that was actually embedded into her skin on the underside of her wrist. “My master placed it on there to help me hide my force thingy,” she muttered and his eyes snapped up at her. 

“Your master?” He questioned and she stared at him unblinkingly. 

“You know Skywalker, the man who yells at you and throws force knowledge at you,” she growled. 

“Mine hit me with small sticks. Is yours still alive?” He questioned and her eyes lazily took him in.

“No,” she said easily and he felt a flutter from her but it melted away. He didn’t want to pry. It might be painful for her. He certainly didn’t sound like her favorite person. “I’ve had it since I was little. Maybe six or so?” She said with a noncommittal shrug and he didn’t hide his alarm at her. 

“Six is a bit young isn’t it?” He questioned out right and she had known him long enough now to have pity on him. She wanted to laugh in his face but it would just make him feel awful. She didn’t like making him feel awful. 

“He grabbed me when I was a baby Skywalker,” she said gently and she had to look away at the horror that swam in his eyes at that. “All gifted younglings were taken that young. It wasn’t odd,” she tried to sooth and he scrunched his nose in distaste, his head lolling back to rest against the wall. 

“It is odd. I don’t care how special my child is, I’d like to see someone try and pry them from my fingers,” he bit out and she smirked a bit at him. “I’m sorry,” he said lifting his head, his eyes meeting hers and she lifted a curious eyebrow at him.

“For what?” 

“That the Jedi stole your childhood. They were wrong. The new Jedi Order won’t be like that. I promise.” His words carried weight and she believed him instantly. He wouldn’t let younglings be sacrificed for the Jedi cause. 

“What else will the New Order do that the old won’t?” She grinned, scooting closer to him and a thoughtful look crossed his face. 

“Don’t know enough about the old to know how much I can go with or contradict,” he breathed and she smirked a bit at him. 

“What do you want to know?” She questioned and he sat up straight immediately. 

“What do you know?” He asked, eager for answers and she settled back for a long conversation.

“You are looking at an A+ student in Jedi History, Skywalker,” she mused with a glint in her eye that  
made his heart beat a bit faster. 

“You seriously are the most amazing person I’ve ever met in my life,” he breathed out in awe and she winked at him.

“Bet you say that to all the women you share a cell with.” 

-=-

 

She was nestled in his arms, her head on his chest, red hair strewn over his arm as he lazily drew circles on her back as she slept. He didn’t want to know what a night without her in his arms would be like and all they did was sleep. It had started the first night as his need to know she was still there. She hated it and let him know yet never moved away. The second night it was as if she had just grudgingly put up with her duty and he laughed, quickly moving away from her. He settled on the floor by himself only to find her cuddled up behind him an hour later. He convinced himself it was because she needed human contact too and that she also didn’t mind him. After that it had become her norm and he found she got grumpy when her norm was not followed. Now that they had been together for over a month in the same room a norm was quickly adopted and followed out each day.

“You need to stop falling in love with me,” she had teased him.

“You say that like it’s easy to not do.” 

“It’s a common psychological disorder for inmates to fall in love with each other. It isn’t real, just desperation,” she stated matter of factly and he laughed. 

“That’s romantic. Would that mean we’d have to be losing our minds to succumb to that? Do you think me sane?” 

“Of course you are,” she shot back, her need to reassure him quite adorable. “It’s biological urges.” 

“Yes, that explains why I’ve jumped you so many times,” he taunted dryly and she narrowed her eyes at him. He had been nothing but a complete gentleman. 

“The force is making our bond stronger than it is. Just because we are force sensitive does not mean it’s the will of the force,” she lectured and he tilted his head at her amused. She liked to make him smile.

“When you run out of excuses will that mean you’ve fallen in love with me too?” He questioned calmly and her eyes rolled skyward as they fell into silence. He grinned sitting back, his eyes closing as he attempted to rest a bit. 

“Maybe.” 

The one word was muttered but echoed around his brain and it made his heart swell. He heard her groan and then smack his chest making his eyes pop open as she stared at him. 

“I’m going to teach you about shielding so I won’t be bombarded so much by your mushy feelings,” she  
chastised, anger on her face yet not a lick of it in her sense.  
She was slowly becoming a lover of mush and he’d go to his grave with that secret. Mara Jade did not do or would ever do mush. 

That conversation played in his head once more behind his carefully constructed shields. She had indeed helped him strengthen his shields. She was quite the expert at it. She taught him layers and how the mind could be a maze and how you could protect yourself behind multiple walls. He used it immediately locking away his secret about Leia. If she had figured it out she didn’t say anything but he had been quite careful to keep the knowledge to himself and never think of her. After constructing his shields he finally allowed himself the luxury of thinking of his friends. Did Han recover from Hibernation sickness? Where the two blockheads finally together? He felt a swell of pride at that. Han was perfect for his sister. He wished he could tell him that. Could tell her… 

Mara shifted in his arms and he tightened his arm around her gently. He wished he could tell Leia about Mara. While she slept and behind his shields he admitted to himself how deeply he had fallen for her. If the Empire counted on making her a liability for him he was gone from the first time she had said Hello. He would have defended her with his life from that first conversation but now… now he knew it was so much worse. He needed her. Adored her. He would stay in this cell the rest of his days just to be with her. His logical self had spiked at that, trying to convince himself he wouldn’t give up Leia, Han or the others to remain here forever but his logical side even gave up after a few moments. He would and he wouldn’t regret it. 

Mara wasn’t an idiot and had been subtly appealing to his logical side too. They had many discussions about what should happen then the Empire decided to play their hand and use them against each other. She was adamant about how it should go, that one life isn’t worth switching sides for and said it often that it was a mantra in his head. He couldn’t turn to the darkside for her. She wasn’t a prize at the end for turning. If he gave in in order to spare them she would fight the rest of her days to get away from him and hate him for turning. 

“Would you kill me before letting them use me against you?” Luke had questioned her and she looked at him un-phased.

“How could they use you against me?” 

He poked her through their bond causing her to wince and she narrowed her eyes at him. 

“Would you rather die by my hand than there’s?” She questioned a bit more gently and he let out a  
breath.

“Yes.” 

“OK.” 

That was all she gave him from that but he read a lot into it. He knew her better than she would like to admit and saw her dependence on him grow each day. He would never tell her that. Mara Jade didn’t depend on people. He didn’t know how he realized and as he saw her do it slowly he felt it was the closest he would see her truly fall in love with him. To trust another in Mara’s book was the deepest form of love. He constantly was surprising her through their bond and it made him wonder greatly what other interactions she had throughout her life to make her so jaded that a simple common courtesy was foreign to her. 

She sat up suddenly, her eyes alert as her mind jumped to life. He jumped up as well, his arms still wrapped around her and she shrugged out of them easily as the door slid open. They were on their feet in an instance, side by side as a machine slowly floated in. She cursed. She knew that machine. Shots suddenly rang out in the room and Skywalker dropped to the floor in a heap. She bent down, quickly checking his pulse, realizing they had just stunned him and her eyes shot up back to the machine. This was going to hurt…

-=-

***Mara!***

His voice was pounding into her skull as she tried to come out of a fog. Where was she? Her mind flashed a few pictures at her of bright lights and machines and she shut her eyes tightly against them. Why was Skywalker yelling at her? 

“Luke.” 

Her throat felt like sandpaper, her senses completely skewed. What had they done to her? She felt the fog slowly move away from her as the room slowly came into focus. She reached out a hand trying to feel out for Skywalker, wanting to feel an anchor in the swirling chaos she was drowning in.

***I’m right here Jade,*** his voice soothed into her mind and she groaned, trying to push herself up on all fours from the floor. ***They hit you with a crazy drug cocktail and it’s taken me awhile to flush it from you.***

Now that he said it she could feel him working through their bond on her. 

She reached out to him blindly with the force and he wrapped around her securely, her senses soothing at just his touch. She was greedy for it and he gave her everything, their bond flaring bright and strong. The fog was moving away faster and she was so thankful for him and their stupid force bond. She heard him chuckle over it and she half smiled but her body still ached. 

“Where are you?” Her voice was a bit of a whine from disuse, wondering why she wasn’t in his arms since he was always wrapped around her. She felt cold and lonely without his touch. She suddenly felt his sadness across their bond. Her eyes snapped open and the motion was painful. She searched the room, the edges of her vision blurred. Where was he? Panic hit her and than he felt her shields slam up. 

“Jade,” he called through the small hole and her eyes closed tightly, her eyes blurring with moisture. She growled, deep in her throat and he closed his eyes sadly as he pressed into his wall. He had woken up alone in his cell a few hours ago and it had crushed him. He pushed against her tight shields and knew behind them she was feeling the same devastation. A devastation they had discussed at length they should not feel. They were just some cruel Empire experiment. ***I love you Jade,*** he soothed into her mind and he heard her let out a scream of anger than go silent. 

She curled into herself, tears streaming down her face in silence as she stared sadly at the small hole. She hated that hole. Her shields tightened around her as she curled into herself, letting her emotions churn and consume her before she cut them all off completely. She let out a shuttering breath and kept Skywalker out. She had gone soft getting use to him there and today reminded her she couldn’t be soft. Being soft only brought pain.


	2. Escape

“You are trying to teach me patience aren’t you?” 

Silence. She stopped talking to him. She was trying to distance herself from him to squash the pain she felt at not having him near. He knew her too well. He understood what she was doing. She was trying to create a rift between them. Her way to spit in the Empire’s face and say that they wouldn’t win. They couldn’t use them against each other. So for four days she had not spoken to him. Kept her shields tight and ignored him. It hurt. Hurt more than knowing that no one was looking for him. When he felt his resolve cripple she would make a noise, reassure him she was there and he was reminded how deeply he adored her. She was the most selfless person he knew. Perhaps he was arrogant but all of her actions were trying to save him. Drawing away to save them than reminding he wasn’t alone so he would keep his sanity. She was a cruel and merciful temptress. 

“I’m not good at patience,” he growled, bumping his head against their wall. “You know I’m in love with you don’t you?” He questioned and he winced feeling her poke him painfully through the force. “Oh like they don’t know,” he spat back annoyed. “They aren’t stupid. Our rooms are wired for sound and vision Jade. I’m pretty sure I look like a love sick puppy and I don’t give a damn.” 

“How have you survived this long?” She hissed and he was up, his ear against the hole to hear her stunning voice. “You are absolutely useless. I’d have benched you if I was in charge of you in the Rebellion,” she growled, her arms crossed across her chest in anger. 

“I miss you,” he breathed through the hole and her back stiffened. 

“This is why the Rebellion is losing. You are weak and lead with your stupid emotions,” she hissed with disdain.

“You said the Jedi fell because they couldn’t encourage attachments,” he reminded and she rolled her eyes. “What is it Jade? No attachments or embrace emotion?” 

“Maybe you should side hug emotion and stop trying to full out make out with it,” she growled. 

“I’ve been told I’m not a bad kisser,” he teased and her lips curled up in an evil grin.

***From your sister?*** She spat into his mind and his eyes widened and she felt his shields slam up against her. 

***How do you know that?***

***Who the hell taught you how to shield Farmboy?*** She reminded harshly and he winced away from her. 

***If you must know she said she didn’t like it and I wasn’t a fan of it either,*** he snapped and  
she laughed out loud, her tension breaking from her. Only he made her laugh. She found she liked laughing. Immediately she squashed the thought but he was already behind her shields, caressing her mind and she helplessly leaned into it. 

They sat in silence, their shields slowly lowering and he felt her build shields around them, hiding them together. To the outside world they were just sitting on their bunks, him looking serene and she looking bored yet on the inside. 

It was a swirl of force energy unlike he ever felt. He wanted to rush around her mind reassuring her with everything in him that he adored her, wanted to protect her and keep her always yet she stopped him in his tracks. Instead she just held his presence close to hers and they melded slowly. No words needed to be said, only feelings and emotions passing between them and she let out a deep breath. 

“Will you marry me, Mara?” His voice didn’t waver and he asked with so much sincerity it almost made her stop breathing. Shock hit her fast and hard and she was up on her knees moving towards their hole. Immediately her mind doubted him. He couldn't be serious. "Why couldn't I be?" He asked gently and his sincerity across their bond made her entire being shudder. She pressed against the wall, her forehead against the cool surface as she tried to get as close to their little hole as she could. 

“I’m not good for you Skywalker,” she said back with a sadness and his force sense wrapped around her, showering love on her that it made her wince at how unworthy she was of it. 

“Agree to disagree,” he said quickly and she closed her eyes, tears filling behind her lids and she laughed. 

***Yes. I want to marry you,*** she confessed through the force to him, her emotions getting the better of her for once and he wished with everything in him they were in the same damn room. ***I love you,*** she whispered across his senses and he felt his heart explode in every direction. His eyes closed in happiness as he leaned against the wall. He reveled in her declaration and shared freely with her how much she meant to him, how much of his life now depended on her and wanted her desperately to be with him always. Then he felt her incredibly clear. It was like she had dropped some last shield between them and he felt her feel something she never had before… hope. Hope for a future. He made her think about the future. 

***I love you Mara,*** he sent to her, unable to wrap her physically into his arms but wrapping her into his force presence and overwhelmed by her trust and excitement. Suddenly one of her shields slammed up and he winced. 

“Mara,” he called gently and then he felt a searing pain rip through him. He blinked and looked down at himself. He wasn’t injured. No one was in his room. The pain hit him again and he suddenly realized it wasn’t really hitting him… it was hitting… Mara screamed. “MARA!” 

She convulsed off of her bed and hit the floor, throwing up all of her shields but the energy invading her mind was harsh and angry. She could vaguely hear Luke beating against the walls as if it would help her or get him to her but she was being attacked in her mind. Nothing could stop that. She felt betrayal and guilt wash over her and she screamed out again as the fingers twisted cruelly into her. She grasped for her bracelet to turn it on yet she was thrown across the room, hitting the wall hard almost knocking her unconscious. Blurs swam before her vision and she coughed, trying desperately to get a hold of her mind and senses. Her door slid open and arms grabbed onto her roughly, yanking her to her feet.

“Luke!” She screamed, suddenly desperate as she understood what fate they were dragging her too. He was still screaming her name, the walls straining under his blows. He was trying to reach her through the force but she threw up her last set of barriers and locked him out, his last feelings of desperation and panic hitting her before her mind went blank completely. 

-=-

His bloodshot eyes stared at the small scuff on the otherwise perfect white floor. He enjoyed making that scuff and marring this sterile place. He didn’t know how many days it had been. Time meant nothing. Hasn’t meant anything for as along as he can remember but he knows each minute without her is agony. Each minute without feeling her, feels like he is drowning. He constantly reaches out to her but just feels her shields. That’s a small comfort to know she is alive but her shields would lock in place if she were in a coma. His eyes closed miserably, a tear sliding out as that thought hit him. He was raw and broken. His hands had finally started to heal. The blood on the walls from him banging over and over on them was cleaned against his will. He refused to put himself in a healing trance to heal the bruises. He wanted to feel something. He waited for them to come get him but he heard nothing. He only counted the days because he figured they fed him once a day. He had gotten seven meals. Where would they have her for seven days? 

His door slid open and he jumped to his feet, his eyes desperate for answers. Two gleaming white suits of armor tossed her at his feet as if she was a ragdoll. Rage hit him and he wanted to plow after them but the woman at his feet needed him more. He dropped beside her, rolling her over gently, her red hair matted with dried blood and clinging to her. 

“Mara,” he said brokenly, desperate to take her into his arms but terrified of hurting her more. 

“Hey farmboy,” she whispered from split lips. 

“Baby,” he broke. His hands shook as he touched her, trying to assess the damage they had done to her. Gashes lined her face, burn marks up her arms and she had pulled herself into a fetal ball trying to protect her stomach. Gently he peeled the shirt back and he closed his eyes, tears slipping out at the bruises on her pale skin. 

“Never,” she whispered out and he bent closer to her.

“Never what baby?” He begged and her dull emerald eyes looked up at him, her lips curling in a small smile that made a bit of blood drip from them. 

“Never been someone’s baby,” she struggled out and as gently as he could he pulled her into his arms, her frail body curling into him as her fingers, a few of which were broken covered his own. 

“You are mine,” he gasped out, tears flowing freely from his eyes as he gently rocked her. “I’m going to put you in a healing trance,” he bumbled out and she touched his face, gently pushing away the tears. He shattered at her touch. “Why not me? Why would they touch you?” He agonized and she relaxed into his embrace. She was safe with Skywalker. Safe. The feeling washed over her as he pushed gently passed her  
tattered shields to convey that to her. She was safe. She was in his arms, exactly where she belonged. She never felt safe before she had met him and that thought hurt his soul. 

“Can’t kill the son of Vader,” she croaked out and he winced painfully.

“Why is he doing this? To make me turn to the dark side?” He spit out angrily. “Because if I do I will  
murder them all for laying a hand on you,” he promised and she winced painfully trying to sit up. “Shh, stay still,” he soothed. 

“Vader isn’t here,” she struggled out. “Doesn’t know you are here.”  
She was wheezing and he wondered if one of her lungs was punctured. He gently ran a hand along her ribs feeling for tender spots but she waved his hand away. “Alliance acting like you are still there to protect you,” she rasped and he gently pushed her hair away from her face. Her eyes flicked to his and captured them. ***They will use me to turn you to the darkside,*** her voice was stronger in his mind. Clear and to the point. ***If you let them I will hate you forever.*** Her eyes held him, her words not to be trifled with. *I need you to stay my hope,* she whispered, wincing at the last word since every time she had thought it in her life it usually was followed by searing pain. There was no hope for her, but for him…

He closed his eyes as he gently leaned over her. She felt his mental fingers lovingly caress her, gently asking for permission to put her in a healing trance and the kindness made her whimper a bit. He soothed her immediately and it only made her emotionally hurt more. She quickly dropped a set of shields and let him enter, blessed unconsciousness hitting her as he went to work to heal her body. 

-=-

She remembered waking up a few times. 

Once just to see the sterile lights of the detention center only to fall back into unconsciousness. The other time she saw his face, his hands cradling hers and his warm smile, than unconsciousness. Finally she heard his voice.

“Hi.” 

It was warm and inviting and she leaned her mind into it and was met by his answering bond. She fell into him easily, erecting a barrier around both of them that slammed up in force. 

“How do you do that?” He questioned gently and her eyes flickered open. 

“Protecting what is mine,” she rasped, her voice unused and he scooted closer, his fingers gently caressing her face. 

“Am I yours Mara Jade?” He questioned and she felt his strength flood into her and it sent comfort down her spine. Their force bond was so useful. 

“We are still getting married aren’t we?” She asked, her voice slowly gaining more depth. She moved to sit up and he helped her slowly, her face coming in line with his and she smiled sweetly at him. He opened his mouth to respond but she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his. It felt like the time R2 had stuck his arm into the wrong socket looked. It was fireworks and perfection and not even full strength. 

His hands lovingly cupped her face, helping support her as their lips slowly explored one another’s’. She pulled back a bit and he did as well to make sure she got in air. 

“Oh I’ve wanted to do that for a long time. You?” She cooed and he chuckled against her lips, nipping them once more as one of his hands moved down her arm to snake around her back to support her. 

“Every since I discovered you weren’t a droid,” he admitted and she leaned into his arms contently, a weak peel of laughter spilling from her lips. 

“I’m ready,” she grinned and he smiled lovingly at her, his thumb gently stroking her cheek.

“Ready for what love?” he questioned and her stunning green orbs held him captive in his spot.

“To marry you farmboy,” she reminded and he blinked at her. 

“Here? Right now? In a detention center?” 

“Why not?”

“Because it’s a detention center Mara.”

“We had our first date in a detention center,” she rationalized and he kissed her again, his lips suddenly needy to taste her. She melted into his embrace and he was overwhelmed by her trust for him. He pulled away ready to convince her otherwise but her finger gently touched his lips stilling him. “I don’t have a happy ending Skywalker,” she whispered sweetly, her smile stunning but her eyes filled with tears. “Give me a few days of happy ending with you?” She questioned vulnerably and it tore at his very being. 

“You have me,” he responded soundly and she smiled, thankful that it didn’t hurt her lips anymore. 

“For a little while, I do indeed.”

“How do Jedi get married?” He asked with a grin and she shrugged a shoulder.

“I’m not a Jedi,” she reminded and he shook his head. 

“Old fashioned way then?” He asked and she nodded resolutely. She held out  
her hand to her left and he watched it curiously. He heard a crunching noise and blinked seeing the holocamera cave in on itself. “Mara,” he breathed, his worry flaring immediately at that use of the force, and she stole his lips once more, her mind gently bringing him back to the main topic. 

“I, Mara Jade,” she began against his lips. His eyes flickered open and he pulled her closer, her deep green opening to stare into his own. “Take you, rebel Luke Skywalker, to be my husband. The one I choose, my first real choice,” she whispered, her fingers splayed lovingly across his cheek as she tried to memorize his face in this moment and he leaned his forehead against hers. “No matter what they do, my heart is yours forever,” she finished, gently kissing his lips. She pulled away before he could deepen it and she smiled at him. 

“I, Luke Skywalker, take you Mara Jade as my wife,” he shuddered over the words and she blushed. “Choosing you with sound mind and wanting you for the rest of my life,” he continued when suddenly she put her fingers over his lips.

“And you will not turn to the darkside for me,” she prompted and he kissed her fingertips, his heart aching knowing what agreeing to that meant. That he would have to let her go. 

“And not turn to the darkside for you,” he agreed and she nodded. “I love you and will love you the rest of my days,” he breathed and she smiled softly at him. 

“By the power of no one above us I now pronounce us,” she breathed, her smile intoxicating and he melted into their force presence, she doing the same as they latched onto each other deeply. 

“Husband and wife,” he finished and pressed his lips lovingly against her own. It was an explosion. All at once she wasn’t there and then was everywhere. Their hands clutched to each other as he held the kiss, slowly moving across her lips as their force senses dug into one another and stayed. She saw everything about him. His entire childhood, his memories, the way he thought and he saw her in her memories. Dancing, trying to please a hard Master he couldn’t see and then them together. He was her happy memories. Her only happy memories. He pulled back and she felt his despair at that and she wrapped around him soothingly. 

“I’m fine Luke,” she cooed and he tipped her head up at him, his arm wrapped securely around her as his fingers caressed her cheek and neck. 

“You’re perfect,” he admitted and she closed her eyes in contentment as her feelings flowed freely to  
him and his to hers. “Oh we just took our bond to the next level didn’t we?” He admitted a bit chagrin and she hummed at him.

“Haven’t mated yet,” she breathed into his ear before she suddenly bit the defenseless flesh causing a shudder of want and desire to shoot through him. “Wait,” she suddenly breathed and he froze. 

“You know you are a giant tease right?” He hissed and she looked at him with innocence, her happiness at affecting him skittering through their bond. She reached up and yanked a few pieces of hair from her head. He felt her pain and looked at her with alarm. 

“What are you doing?” 

“You need a ring,” she said matter of factly and he paused as she took a few strands and weaved them together. 

“Mara Jade… sentimental,” he breathed in a bit of awe and she shrugged with a smirk.

“First time for everything.” 

Gently she tied the seven strands around his ring finger into a gentle little bow. She looked at it with satisfaction and felt her possessiveness over him through their bond. 

“Mine,” she whispered glancing up at him and he nodded. 

“Forever Mara,” he said back strongly than cupped her face, his lips attaching onto hers deeply. She reached for his shirt as her lips joined the frey, desperate for more of him. Slowly, with as much self-control as he could muster he pulled his lips away, his heart thudding wildly as his fingers itched to explore her. “We shouldn’t. You are still recovering,” he breathed, gently kissing her cheek, his eyes closing as he tried to calm himself. 

“You would deny your wife Skywalker?” She questioned breathily, her eyes catching his as her lips parted. Suddenly his mind was assaulted with images of them wrapped together in complete abandon. “We are about to have force enhanced sex love, now is not the time to back out,” she teased, her lips curling up as her fingers pulled at the drawstring of his pants. 

“Me concerned for your safety is not backing out,” he bit back and she grinned kissing his cheek sweetly. 

“I’ll stop screaming if it’s too much,” she promised into his ear and he pushed her down onto the metal slab of a bed. Her legs came about him gracefully and quickly as he crawled over her, his lips claiming hers fully as his.

-=-

He felt her panic start to rise and he quickly rushed to it through their bond. She sucked in a startled breath and pushed, her frame falling off of the metal slab to hit the floor.

“Mara!” 

He was quickly on the floor with her, wrapping his arms protectively around her and pulling her against his front, her head resting against his own. His hand stilled over her heart hoping it would bring her comfort as she curled into him. His lips kissed her head lovingly as she rode the wave of emotions that had slammed into her. His eyes closed as he tried to push them away from her, the stimulus too much to handle for a woman who had never known an ounce of real affection in her entire life. 

“Don’t pity me,” she struggled out between spastic breaths and he shook his head, their frames vulnerable to the cold as their clothes lay strewn around them. 

“I cannot pity what I am in awe of,” he responded honestly and her eyes closed, another wave of emotions slamming into her but he was there to anchor her. 

“How do I survive you Skywalker?” She questioned and he smiled into her hair, kissing her head once more. 

“Well, we are going to have to get creative if you are going to have a panic attack after every time we make love,” he sighed and she couldn’t stop herself. She laughed. “It’s ok. I’ve caused other women to have panic attacks too,” he soothed and she huffed.

“You have not.” 

“Do you know everything about me Mara?” He asked softly and she leaned her head against his own, settling happily into his embrace as her heart settled.

“All I need to take you down,” she answered honestly and he grinned, his lips  
finding her collarbone and kissing across it slowly.

“Indeed you do.” 

They sat in silence for a few moments more as her heart settled back down. The extreme emotions that had plummeted through her threatened the fabric of her mind. It was too much, too fast and too… perfect. He was perfect. Thinking about it shot desire through her once more as the memories of a few moments before caused her legs to wobble a bit. His grip tightened on her and her breath caught. Her eyes narrowed as a smirk curved her lips upwards. He felt her determination through their bond and he out right smirked. She spun in his arms, grabbing his knee and toppling him backwards as she crawled over him. It happened so fast Luke seemed to blink and he was holding her than suddenly had his wife hovering above him. 

“Familiarity might solve my problem,” she teased, her small lithe body pressed against his own and driving his libido back into full force. 

“Don’t get too familiar, you may get bored of me,” he grinned, his eyes memorizing her flushed face before him. She stilled, her fingers gently touching his cheek and he held his breath feeling her shift of emotions.

“This isn’t real Skywalker,” she whispered and his eyebrow rose. “It’s a game you and I have been forced  
to play.” 

“Baby,” he whispered, cupping her cheek and pushing her hair from her face. He sent love and comfort to her through their bond and she took it, her frame tensing a bit as she dove into the emotions head on even though it felt uncomfortable. 

“If it was real I’d run away with you, have a future with you,” she confessed and he saw tears form in her stunning emerald orbs. 

“You can’t give up yet sweetheart, I won’t give you up easily,” he said with determination and she gently kissed his lips. It was so tender it made him tremble. She pulled him closer, pulling him also deeper into her force sense, skirting the edges of the emotions while pushing him fully into them. 

-=-

She bit her lower lip temptingly, knowing it was distracting him. He closed his eyes to stop the assault on his concentration. Focus. Her fingertips slid across his hip and he reacted, turning to push her into the nearest wall. His lips were on hers in an instant, his hands claiming across her torso and hips till they gripped her rear yanking her into his arms. She wrapped around him quickly with need, her lips aggressive as her fingers scraped into his shaggy hair that went down to his shoulders. She often claimed the first thing she would do to him if they ever got out of here was shave him bald and get rid of his beard completely. It hindered her she said and he was definitely not going to argue with her. After a week she had definitely not gotten "too familiar" with him but had been demanding in her "education". He was grateful she had crushed the cameras in their cell as they had provided enough jail cell pornos for the entire galaxy. He couldn't deny her, he was as far gone as she was and this had been the best week of his life. Everything from this point had been worth it to be here with her in these moments. 

One emerald eye popped open to look to her left and her lips curled up in a grin seeing the shirt still  
floating effortlessly in air. 

“How little faith you have in me, my wife,” his voice whispered up her neck as he pressed her into the wall causing her to groan as he tore her concentration away from their Jedi exercise. 

“Am I not enough to distract you anymore love?” She tempted and he lifted his head, his bright blue eyes catching her emerald and she felt a blush rise to her cheeks at his desire for her. She reached out her hand and he felt her tug on his force hold and he relented letting the garment fly to her hands. She felt pride burst in him and she blushed further. She learned quickly all the things he taught her and often excelled farther than himself and it only made him more proud of her. 

“You are so stunning to me,” he cooed kissing her reddened cheeks with reverence. 

“Back to training Jedi,” she smirked kissing his lips soundly once more before turning away. She tossed the shirt back into the air and he caught it easily with the force as he slowly slid away from her tempting form. 

A hiss was heard as the door slid open and both turned to it ready, the shirt still floating effortlessly behind them. 

“Time to go,” a mechanical voice announced as three stormtrooers stood waiting with blasters. 

She steeled her nerves as they were marched quickly down the hall, their arms clasped behind them. She felt her stomach turn knowing what was coming and she shot the man beside her a look. He was stupidly giving her encouragement, soothing her through their bond. He had hope this would end well. She didn’t want to crush it for him. 

“Luke,” she called softly and he turned, his eyes so full of love for her. “I love you,” she said quietly and he smiled at her.

“Don’t give up on us yet Jade,” he said back easily and she smiled sadly at him.

They turned and were suddenly marched into a giant black room. A throne rested towards the end and Luke felt a jolt through him when he saw a dark figure kneeling before it. 

“Ah, glad to have you join us,” a sickening voice hissed at them. Vader stood, his head turning and Mara could feel his shock hit her shields. 

“Mara Jade.” 

He said her voice as a statement of disgust and Luke felt a tremble go down his spine. 

“You have had her here?” Vader questioned turning his gaze to the man sitting atop a throne before them. Luke sucked in a breath, his gaze turning to him as well as he saw the hated man of the Empire finally in person. He felt his wife’s layers of shields rise and he pulled his up as well. It was better if there bond was separated for whatever was about to come next. “With my son?” The last few words were quieter and the Emperor looked entirely too pleased with himself. 

Luke heard a tiny click and glanced to his left with his eyes then back to the two before him. Mara had gotten out of her restraints. He planted his feet and waited knowing that the whirlwind that happened next was going to be fast and furious. The few times he had sparred with Mara she had been fast and furious. She had skills only years of training could have afforded her and each time she took him down faster than Master Yoda or Ben would have ever appreciated. She attacked with the grace of a cat and the storm trooper holding her dropped like a sack to her left as she sprang forward. He quickly moved to follow yet two troopers jumped on him, slamming him into the ground. 

“Release us or die.” 

Her voice filled the room and Luke quickly pushed up trying to see her. She had two blasters somehow, one pointed at Vader, the other pointed at the Emperor. 

“Foolish child,” Vader snapped and her eyes caught his and held, unafraid of him. 

“Statistically I can take one of you down on my way out,” she announced and the Emperor laughed. It was a disgusting laugh. 

“And I can crush Skywalker with a flick of my wrist,” he bit out, his yellow eyes staring with intrigue at the woman who stood bravely before him. 

“And ruin all of your precious plans for him?” She taunted, firing off one blaster into Darth Vader’s arm than turning both on the disgusting creature on the throne. Vader cried out in alarm falling to his knee and she felt his anger fill the room. 

“Don’t touch her,” the Emperor commanded as he stood, Vader’s retaliation about to hit her and she stiffened ready for the impact. Vader took a step back, his breathing angered if one could even determine that. “She’s mine to destroy.” 

“Always have been,” she hissed, her eyes narrowed at him. “Release us or die,” she repeated. 

“Your hesitation will be your downfall. You should have struck me down immediately,” he snapped and the blasters were ripped from her hands. 

Luke struggled fiercely but they pushed their weight into him making him slam against the cool metal of the floor. He felt his danger sense flare and watched helplessly as his love was snatched up off the ground and held midair. Her hands were clutching at her neck but her eyes were fury as she stared the man before her down. 

“All the years spent keeping yourself alive and you give it up so easily for the son of your most hated enemy?” He demanded and Luke shot a glance at his father. That wasn’t too much of a surprise… Vader loved to hunt and kill Jedi. 

“He won’t turn over me. You’ve lost,” she choked out and he laughed once more as his eyes narrowed. 

“I can already feel his anger swelling just by me touching you,” he hissed. 

“That’s me,” she spat and his eyes widened a bit. He turned to the frame on the floor as the Storm Troopers pulled him to his feet. He reached out to drink in his anger and fear and encountered nothing. His hand tightened and Mara felt her eyes roll in the back of her head painfully as her lungs screamed for air. 

“You taught him to shield?” He demanded and shook his hand, her frame shaking like a doll in the air before him. 

“I will never join you. I am a Jedi, like my father before me,” Luke’s strong voice filled the air and Mara closed her eyes, a small tear leaking out. 

“Then there is no need for her,” the Emperor spat and he closed his fist, a snap echoing in the room and Mara stopped struggling. Luke’s eyes shot to her, her hands falling from around her neck to land lifelessly at her sides and he felt his heart plummet to his toes. Her body flew backwards to hit the hard floor with a sickening thud. He reached out quickly with the force to touch her and encountered nothing. He pulled on his bond with her and felt it unravel as it lacked an anchor on the other side. His eyes widened in horror as he stared at the frame he had taken so lovingly into his embrace, at the body he had worshiped and the lips he had memorized. Cruel laughter echoed through the room and he felt like his head was going to explode. 

“MARA!!” 

His voice echoed around the massive room and before he could act an arm yanked on him, another pushing him as he was forcefully dragged from the room. He fought against them, his body twisting to turn and glance at her once more. He caught her lifeless eyes and his heart seemed to shatter. He screamed for her through the force but met nothing. No shields. No Mara… Her neck was at an awkward angle there was no coming back from and her image blurred as tears filled his eyes. He screamed trying to escape once more when suddenly he was in the hallway, the two Storm Troopers with him running and dragging him between them. 

“Can you fly a TIE?” One asked angrily and Luke looked up at the gleaming white helmet with disdain. 

“Don’t give into your anger,” the other warned and Luke felt a shock hit him. Since when do Storm Troopers care about people giving into their anger? “Can you fly a TIE?” He demanded and Luke pushed his feet underneath him and they were suddenly running together, their arms tight on him.

“Yes.” 

It was huge. Maybe a star destroyer or a planet? He didn’t know. He didn’t care but he was trying to  
make a mental note of things like Mara had taught him. Always be aware of your surroundings. Always know the exit. 

Exit. 

That is where they were heading and as the hanger bay came into view his adrenalin kicked in. He was dragged to the left and then quickly towards the first TIE fighter in the first out slot. A Storm Trooper looked their way and started. Luke quickly diverted their attention through the force and continued to do that since they were quite a scene. He didn’t imagine Storm Troopers to move fast but the two that were holding onto him were moving at an alarming pace and noise. They were causing quite a scene. 

It was a blur after that. The sound of the TIE door, a hard hand shoving against his chest and the controls as they hurtled towards his face as he tripped inside. He sucked in a deep breath, calling on the Force and he slammed the seal button on the fighter as he quickly fired its engines. He heard blaster fire and glanced behind to the closed door and the Troopers who had aided him. Why had they done that? No time to discuss it and he punched his thrusters, the ship shooting forward a bit alarmingly but he didn’t care. He was going to get out. Get back to the Rebellion than work the rest of his life to take down the Emperor. 

Space enveloped him and he quickly took off, swerving crazily to confuse sensors as he headed towards the nearest planet. TIE’s didn’t have hyperdrives to spirit him away. They were short distance ships but they could get him on planet. On planet and away from Imperial captivity. 

-=-

He could hear her words in his head telling him to get to ground, sell what he could and blend in. She had spent a great deal telling him how she use to run, use to blend into whatever culture she found herself in and he didn’t realize he would have to use her wisdom so soon. He reached out once more to the space she had been in his mind and his heart cried at the empty space that had greeted him. She had been ripped from him and there left a gapping hole that ached deep within him. There wasn’t even a sliver of her left for him to hold onto. 

He had found an emergency supply pack in the fighter and didn’t adjust anything about himself except exchanging his Imperial Detention uniform for the plain black flight suit in the emergency pack. His months of overgrown hair and beard were serving him well as he traversed the Imperial occupied city. He slipped onto a planetary transport with relative ease, not caring how many force touches he had to use to escape notice. He had to get back to the Rebellion. Had to escape like she wanted him too. Her sacrifice for him wouldn’t be in vain. 

-=-

The planetary transport was hot, smelled and was over crowded but he didn’t care. He stared unseeing as it jumped into the next more populated system. He continued in a fog as he departed days later and headed straight for an intersteller communications hub. He quickly convinced the clerk for a moment alone with his console. He had no idea where the Rebel base was. Didn’t even know what day it was. On impulse he asked the alien attendant. When he barked back a number in basic Luke felt his chest tighten. 

Nine months. He had been in captivity for nine months. Had been with Mara for nine months. He quickly grabbed that thought and shoved it deep down as he put in his distress code. If the Rebellion still existed it would hopefully find him. 

He stayed close to the Hub and three days later he got an answer. 

_Transport coming. Two days. L._

He erased the message on the datapad, thanking the alien once more. They were coming. 

-=-

She was trembling. She glanced down at her hand and grabbed onto the shaking fingers to stop them. A gentle comforting roar behind her brought her little comfort until arms wrapped securely around her. She melted into the embrace and she closed her eyes. 

“He’s alive highness,” Han whispered lovingly into her ear and she nodded. 

“Hopefully it’s him,” she said realistically and Han hugged her tighter. They were prepared for both. The stolen class shuttle touched down in the unnamed planet docking bay system and Chewbacca shut down the engines, quickly heading back to where they stood in front of the open bay. He roared at them and Han slowly let go of the woman leaning into him.

“There is someone waiting,” Han relayed and Leia straightened, her hand going to the blaster at her thigh. Chewie slowly lowered the ramp and Leia pulled her headscarf up, leaving only her eyes visible as she stepped off without fear. Whoever had claimed to be Luke Skywalker better be him or was in for a rude surprise. 

It was a closed docking space and Luke Skywalker watched the shuttle door open and when he saw a woman in all white walk out with purpose, her brown eyes searching he finally snapped. Every emotion he had been holding onto roared back to angry life and he dropped his blaster and bag, stumbling towards her. 

“Leia,” he croaked. 

His voice hit all three of them and Leia ripped at her scarf and rushed at him. His distress hit her like a swirling tornado. How was she feeling him? Her surprise was overcome by her need to get to him and comfort him. They collided painfully in the middle, arms wrapping tightly around each other and Luke began to openly weep. 

“Kid,” Han choked above them as he quickly wrapped his arms around the two. “Kid,” he repeated, his emotions getting the best of him and Luke grabbed onto him tightly, burying his face in his shoulder as Leia kissed his head, messily moving the mounds of hair away from his face so she could look at him. 

“Oh Luke, where have you been?” She cried, Chewbacca standing near them and standing guard as the three Rebels clutched to each other.  
“In Heaven and Hell,” he croaked and then looked up at her lovingly. He gently touched her face. “Sister,” he breathed and she blinked at him, shooting a look at Han who looked at them with surprise. “Meant to tell you. Yoda told me we were twins,” he blurted out unceremoniously and his head fell back to Han’s shoulder. 

“Uh, let’s get you on board kid,” Han breathed wrapping his arms around him and pulling him to his feet. Leia sadly let go and grabbed the objects he had dropped. An Imperial Blaster and just a bag of clothes. Where had he been? 

-=-

Leia stared at the red threads that wrapped around Luke Skywalker’s ring finger. She had always had a soft spot for him since he had rescued her from the Death Star. They were a family and if he was right… they really were. Half of her believed him, the other half was already planning extensive medical treatment for him back at base 

“Kid, go get some sleep. You are safe. We have you,” Han said suddenly wrapping a hand over Luke’s and the man nodded slowly. As Chewbacca piloted them to the Rebel base he had spent the last two hours detailing everything he remembered. Most of it was through tears as he told them of Mara. How deeply he  
loved her and how the Emperor had killed her like a rag doll right in front of him. 

Han grabbed Leia’s hand, keeping her in place as Luke left. 

“Oh Han,” Leia whispered and he turned to her, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the kid had left. 

“Sweetheart,” he said quickly and she quickly zeroed in on him, his voice telling her to listen. “I have a bad feeling about this,” he muttered and her eyes widened as horror hit her.

“Han, that is Luke,” she defended vehemently and he waved her concern away with a shake of his head.

“Not that sweetheart. Of course that is the kid. No, his story. Look, I know how Imperial Detention Centers are run. We don’t just throw beautiful women into a cell with you to see what happens,” he huffed, his eyes imploring her there was more than seemed to the story. “That she was force sensitive? How convenient is that?” 

“Maybe it was a Jedi Detention camp,” she rationalized.

“Because it’s a great idea to put two Jedi in a room together when you are trying to destroy them,” he snarked and her eyes narrowed.

“Maybe they wanted to watch them get it on. Who knows!” 

“Leia,” he began, moving closer to her and Leia stilled. He rarely ever used her name… “I’m thinking like  
an Imperial. If I wanted to hurt the hero of the Rebellion I would stick a gorgeous, well trained plant in the cell next to him to have him fall head over heels for and do anything for,” he hissed and that implication made Leia’s jaw drop a bit. She took a moment to digest that. It definitely was not below the Emperor to do such a thing… suddenly she put a hand to her heart and doubled over. Han was there immediately, his hand sliding across her shoulder to support her before gently going to the side of her head. 

“But she’s dead, it didn’t work,” she whispered out finally and Han nodded once. 

“Didn’t it sweetheart?” He questioned gently, his thumb sweetly rubbing against her cheek, his deep eyes trying to offer her comfort. Tears blurred her vision as she thought of the broken man who had wept before them the last two hours. Brother or not he was hers. She was his family and the Empire had tried to destroy him through his mind and emotions. 

“We’ll help him Han,” she struggled out and he pulled her into his arms, depositing her on his lap as his arms wrapped around her tightly. 

“Yes, we will,” he promised and she buried her face in his shoulder. They would get through this. 

-=-

His eyes looked dull. They were dull without her to look at. 

The image before him was suffocating him and he reached for the razor, switching it on and taking it to the top of his forehead. He slid it back slowly, feeling the weight slowly fall from his head as he buzzed it all off. He didn’t want to wait for Leia’s suggestion to go get him cleaned up. He wanted it all gone now. Wanted to remember who he was before all of this had started. Remember who he promised he would be to Mara. 

Hair fell to the floor unnoticed and covered his feet until finally he splashed his face with water, the clean shaven frame before him finally familiar. 

“I am Luke Skywalker,” he whispered, his eyes bearing into his own. “I am a Jedi, like my father before me,” he continued. “And I am Mara Jade’s husband and she will not have died for me in vain,” he finished, bowing his head in a silent promise to her and thanking her for giving him her happy days.


	3. Twist

Mara Jade was a weapon. She was nothing more besides that and nothing less than the best or she would have been dismissed. Trained from birth she had been made emotionless, a tool used at the Emperor’s delight for whatever he needed. An assassin, a spy, and a distraction all used for the Emperor’s cause and glory. 

Two weeks ago she had returned from her undercover mission and her master had been determined to get her back up to her peak as he believed sitting her in a cell for eight months had stunted her. He was just punishing her since her mission did not go the way he wanted. It hadn’t gone the way she wanted either…

She spun, vibroblades flying from her fingers towards three invisible targets forty feet to her left, hitting them dead in the center before she spun, interacting quickly with a battle droid, flipping over it to snap it’s neck off, using her momentum to attack the next the three beside it with one fell swoop. A snap hiss entered the room as she ignited her lightsaber and sliced them all neatly in half than threw it effortlessly across the room. She stood tall as she watched it stop in midair. 

“My lord,” she greeted with a bow, her arm across her chest as she knelt before the dark man who approached her floating lightsaber. He plucked it from the air, admiring the deep purple blade as he remembered her building it when she was fourteen. His Emperor had made him oversee her build and he had been impressed by the young girl the Emperor had been dragging around as a puppet since she was a toddler. He felt her useless but as he looked at her now he understood why the Force had spared her. “Has my Master called me?” 

“He is still angry with you,” Vader responded coolly and he saw her tense. “I am still angry with you.” 

She didn’t have a response to that. She wasn’t Lord Vader’s and had to do what her Master instructed. 

“I have watched all the security footage than had it destroyed,” he announced and Mara kept her head down. This wasn’t a social visit, but the sith lord didn’t pay social visits. “I’m going to ask you a series of questions and if you lie to me I will strike you down without hesitation.” 

“Of course my lord,” she responded evenly, her eyes going dull as she waited. She had played this game with him before. She wasn’t afraid anymore. What more did she have to lose? 

“What were the Emperors intentions with the little game you played?” 

“I am afraid only the Emperor knows that,” she responded honestly. “I can only assume he wanted to turn Skywalker and used me as bait,” she said with distaste.

“Shields up girl,” he chastised and she quickly strengthened her shields, her slate once more blank before him. “What did you think of him?” 

“Who my lord?” 

“My son.” 

Her eyes slowly flicked up to him and met his facemask head on. 

“You are unworthy of him, as am I,” she responded honestly and she braced herself waiting for his anger to come swiftly. Instead she only heard him breathe. 

“You taught him well. He taught you well,” he observed and Mara let her gaze fall to stare once more at the ground. “He will be a powerful Jedi.” 

“He is a powerful Jedi,” she corrected and he stepped before her. She felt her heart thunder in her ears and he knelt on one knee before her bringing them face to face. She lifted her gaze and gulped. 

“Did you love him?” 

“A tool does not love my lord,” she responded dutifully without hesitation. “I am the Emperor’s Hand. My life is for his pleasure and will.” 

“Yet, you married him, cared for him and slept with him,” he huffed and Mara didn’t flinch. “That wasn’t in your report.” 

“I give my all to serve my Master, to complete my job with any means necessary.” 

“Do not lie to me child! You did not do it to serve our Master!” His voice bellowed and she responded immediately. They both had their hands out on each other, his on her neck and she grabbing at his suit, trying to get to the hoses to stop his oxygen flow. 

“Either kill me or leave me be. I am not yours and do not have to answer to you!” She spat with anger and he stood, her feet leaving the ground as he dangled her with one hand away from him. 

“Actually, you are now mine,” he hissed and her eyes widened. Had her Master given her to him? Panic shot through her briefly. “If you mattered to him than you matter to me, my daughter,” he said his voice lowering and Mara stopped struggling. “In all the galaxy of people he could have chosen,” he hissed and Mara braced herself for the venom that was coming. “To choose someone so well above his station, he is more like me than I thought,” he admitted and Mara stopped breathing. What had he just said? For a moment they just stared at each other and she wondered briefly if his eyes had been the same blue as Skywalker’s. “The Emperor may have been distracted but I know what you did to those Storm Troopers,” he growled and Mara’s eyes narrowed, unashamed. He waited for her to defend herself, to deny it but she only stared at him in silence. He lowered her gently back to the floor. “You should not have interfered,” he said, his voice quiet and Mara straightened her bodysuit, the action hiding the shaking of her hands. “But I am glad you did.” 

Her head snapped up at him as her eyes widened. 

“He was wise to fall for you. You are worthy of him,” he mused turning away from her. Had the Dark Lord of the Sith just given her two compliments? Calling her better than even his own son? Her mind felt like it was about to explode in confusion. “Have you mourned him?” 

“A tool does not mourn my Lord. I am the Emperor’s Hand. My life is for his pleasure and will,” she  
responded in a lifeless voice and he turned back to her. 

“You are more than that,” he admitted and she felt her knees buckle a bit. “If he is a Skywalker he does not love lightly,” he added and Mara looked at the ground, her fingers curling into her hand to keep her resolve. “I’m going to erect a shield around you. You should mourn him so the Emperor won’t find out. Emotions can make you sloppy and he will destroy you if he sees sloppiness,” he bit out as he walked away from her. She felt his shield slam up around her, her eyes watching his black cape scrape the floor on his exit and she finally gave in. She didn’t even care if he was lying to her. This could have been an elaborate plan by her Emperor to find her weakness but she didn’t care. She had a weakness and she loved it. Her knees buckled and she hit the mat hard, a scream ripping from her throat as she gave into the pain and longing. She missed him. Needed him and knew it was too late forever. She had betrayed him and one day he would find out her lies. She screamed again, her arms wrapping around her head as she wished with everything in her she could tap into her force bond with him, just to feel him once more in her mind, in her heart. 

“I love you Farmboy,” she wept, her entire frame shaking, the emotions so strong she couldn’t handle it and she threw up as if it would expel her pain. Would soothe her for the only thing she had ever wanted for herself. A farmboy turned hero who would one day take down the Emperor forever and when that day came she hoped she would be there to see it. 

-=-

 

Leia Organa let out a slow breath as she studied the data report before her.  
She glanced up at the man who was pulling his tunic back on as 21-B finished with him. 

“Somehow I’ve known, I’ve always known deep down,” she finally confessed and a huff was heard behind her as a set of rough hands that normally made her tremble took the datapad out of her hand.

“Yea, like when you kissed him on Hoth? You knew then?” Han questioned with a raised eyebrow at her as he read the accurate DNA results for Skywalker and the Princess. Han let out a groan when he felt her hand smack into his gut. 

“I did it to anger you hotshot,” she growled and he smiled innocently at her. 

“Didn’t believe me?” Luke questioned walking to her. She held her breath. He was wearing all black like he had been wearing the last time she saw him before he disappeared. They looked a bit big on him but he had lost weight the doc droid had said. He looked broken, his head shaved and face worn. He pushed a small smile on his face for her. It didn’t bring her much comfort. 

“Of course I didn’t believe you. You looked like a crazy person,” she snapped and his smile turned genuine. Gently he placed his hands on her shoulders and kissed her forehead. She felt her heart swell. “Oh Luke.” 

“I’m probably older and you aren’t probably ready to discuss dad yet. Looked the same last I saw him,” Luke drawled out half-hazardly and her eyes narrowed at him. “Doesn’t know about you.” 

“No way you are older and he is not my father,” she growled out and Han smiled at the two. 

“Nice hair cut kid,” he deflected and Luke cast him a small grin. “Really going to bring back the Jedi Monk thing huh?” He questioned and Luke pressed his lips together, his eyes getting a bit of a far away look.

“Guess so,” he mused grabbing his belt and heading towards the door. 

Han watched him go with confusion and then his flesh was twisted painfully. He cried out.

“Sweetheart!” 

“He just lost his wife you nerf!” 

“Right,” Han hissed and chased after him. “Wait up kid!” 

“I’m fine,” Luke breathed weaving through the new base compound, his mind focused. “General Madine and Mothma still in charge?” 

“Yea, look kid,” Han said placing a hand on his shoulder and Luke stilled. “I know that was your last round of tests and you checked out and every thing but if you need a break,” Han began and Luke put his hand on Han’s opposite shoulder.

“You know you’ll need my permission to marry my sister right?” 

Han’s face shifted into mock hurt.

“You said that like you wouldn’t give it!” He spat and Luke laughed, squeezing his shoulder than  
continuing on his way. He sucked in a deep breath. It took effort to keep the smile on his face. It took effort to do many normal things. It was going to. He didn’t come back to his sister or friends whole. He had lost a part of himself with Mara. Without her he would never be whole but he could survive. He could survive for her. 

-=-

 **Ten months later –  
Rebel Alliance Peace delegation on route to New Coruscant **

 

Winter Retrac fussed her Princess’ attire once more.

“It’s fine,” Leia breathed and Winter nodded, absently touching the impeccable braids that made up Leia’s glorious mane. They hadn’t pulled this dress out since the ceremony a few years ago but the Empress of New Coruscant warned them this meeting would be broadcasted across the galaxy. They needed to represent the beauty of Alderaan, to remind people of what was lost under the Emperor’s reign of terror. 

“If it makes you feel better Princess, I feel sick as well,” an older male voice said before her and Leia grinned a bit. 

“I just keep playing the worst case scenario in my head. That this is all some trap,” she whispered guiltily as she stared at her hands. They didn’t hold the answer or the peace she wanted. 

“Do you know why I joined the Rebellion?” General Crix Madine offered walking to her. “Hope. You represented hope. Hope for a future that wasn’t run by tyranny. I don’t know this woman and I don’t pretend to think she is some great savior. She’s human like us. Makes mistakes like us but I feel that little hope about her. I have hope she will be better than the man that tried to destroy her,” he mumbled and Leia grabbed onto his hands. 

“I need her to be good,” Leia confessed weakly and Winter gripped her dear friend’s shoulder in support. The General had no idea the millions of reasons Leia needed that but he knew the main ones and he needed her to be good too. 

“We will land in a few moments. Perhaps you should get Jedi Skywalker,” Winter offered and Leia nodded. 

“Excuse me,” she breathed leaving them to find her other half. He was sitting alone in one of the empty bunks. She took him in for a moment, he looked tired, worn but was holding together well. Well enough for a man who believed his true love was dead to find out she actually was alive and was the enemy.  
He felt _her_ brush up against his shields and he clamped them down. Now that they were on the same planet he felt her clearer as if she were right next to him. He had been right. Their bond was strong enough to span galaxies. Yet, he felt like a part of his heart died every time she tried to brush up against him. Her force sense was intoxicating and everything in him wanted to fall into it. Everything in him still wanted her. His eyes closed as he let the force wash calm over him. _Mara._

Her name still sounded like a song in his head. A dream just out of reach and he had accepted long ago that he would never love another. He could if he tried. He choose not to. She was it for him. The force had chosen her for him but even if it had not, he would have chosen her himself. 

“Brother,” his sister’s voice made his eyes open and he let out a breath. 

“Leia,” he breathed, his face crinkling. “I didn’t feel you come in,” he confessed and she nodded.

“Were you thinking about her again?” She asked gently. She had always been gentle where his heart had been concerned. 

“Have you thought about Han today?” He asked with a slow smile and she gave him a sad smile as her fingers wrapped around his own just like she had done when he had found out the truth about Mara Jade just three months ago. 

///

**Three Months ago:**

He rushed after his sister into the command center. 

“What is happening?” His sister demanded, the entire room a flurry as suddenly they saw halo’s of Coruscant. Crowds were rejoicing and statues of Palpatine were being dragged to the ground and destroyed. Leia felt all of the air leave her lungs and Luke stepped behind her, putting a hand on her back to support her as his force sense wrapped around her to keep her steady. 

“The Emperor is dead,” Mon Mothma breathed with confusion as the room continued to stare. “Darth Vader killed him,” she continued and her words caused the twins to stiffen. Luke stepped closer to his sister, his eyes wide as that information hit him hard. His father had fought back… had killed Palpatine… maybe… Hope furled within him. “They have a new leader,” she continued and nodded to a technician who was tapping into another feed. 

Luke felt something suddenly slam into his chest and he stumbled backwards almost falling. Leia spun with alarm.

“Luke?” She questioned and his hands grabbed onto his head as someone knocked hard on his shields filling in spaces long since dormant. Spaces that were gaping wounds he knew would never be healed because one didn’t get over a Force Bond. He fell to his knees and it took all of his self-control not to scream out the name of the person who was demanding his attention. 

***Farmboy…***

His heart seemed to explode with joy and tears came to his eyes as he immediately opened up to her, their bond flaring as he grabbed onto her greedily through the force. 

***My love,*** he answered back desperately and she pulled away from his presence gently. ***How? I saw him kill you?*** Emotion started to tare through him as she soothed him through their bond. It was like heaven to feel her and the sensation was almost breaking him. 

***Hang on Farmboy, this is about to get rough,*** she breathed to him. 

“LUKE!” His sister was screaming at him and he felt Mara’s presence retreat from him completely. His eyes attempted to focus on the brown that were staring intently into his own. “Are you ok?” She demanded and he gulped, suddenly unable to fathom words. 

“Princess Organa,” Mon Mothma’s voice caught Leia’s attention and she looked back that way. “The Empress is hailing us,” she breathed, the room suddenly silent. 

“Empress?” Leia questioned when the large holoscreen against the wall flickered to life. Vibrant green eyes suddenly caught her own as stunning red hair framed the woman that was taking up the wall before her. That face… she knew that face… Had seen it in her mind when her brother was showing her… oh no. 

“What do we owe the honor?” Mon Mothma greeted quietly and the woman half smiled at her. 

“By now I hope you have learned of our previous Emperor’s demise,” the smooth voice filled the room and Luke froze instantly, his eyes unable to tare away from the woman on the viewscreen. “I wanted to inform you that things are going to be run differently yet in no way does that mean I’m condoning your Rebellion,” her voice was calm, cool and downright graceful and it made Leia on edge. “Yet, I do understand it,” she admitted with a nod of her head. “The Death Star is moving out of your orbit and being destroyed. It is a vile weapon and will never again be used for its intended purposes. I can only extend my heartfelt condolences and sadness over its few uses. It was unforgiveable and the universe has been robbed a bright shining star.” 

Leia felt her heart constrict and Luke didn’t even have the presence of mind to comfort her. He couldn’t. His whole world was falling apart and he was having a hard time reminding himself to breathe. While he understood why the woman had the effect on him he didn’t realize her words were polarizing the rest of the room as well.

“Who are you?” Mon Mothma breathed, a bit stunned as well by this insane turn of events. 

“An orphan, raised to be an heir to a monster,” she replied easily. “My name is Mara Jade and I have full and  
complete control over the Galactic Empire. For far too long it has been ruled by tyranny. While they are not ready to lose their dictatorship they will be ready to lose Palpatines’ many bad influences,” she said sturdily and Leia took a step forward, her throat dry.

“Are you going to give the senate back its power? Give the people back their rights?” She questioned and Mara tilted her head gently to the left as if studying the woman before her. 

“One day,” she mused. “Speaking of days, your day is not now. Forgive me as I turn aside from the little war you and Palpatine had going as I try and salvage the galaxy he destroyed. I’m pulling my troops back from pursuing you but do not take this as a sign for you to run amuck,” her voice hardened and a few in the room gulped. “Live free and settle for once but do not come here to overthrow my government. It will not end well for you,” she threatened and Leia stepped back. 

“How did you even find us?” General Crix Madine asked with a bit of strain and Luke froze as emerald eyes met his own. 

“I am always aware,” Mara breathed and Luke pushed himself to his feet, his gaze never breaking from her own. “Good to see you again Madine. Wise of the Rebellion to keep you around,” she added lightly with a flick of her eyes to him and the man froze. Her eyes. He tried to rack his memories for her. Had he ever seen her? She obviously had seen him. Leia saw him hesitate and stepped forward drawing her attention off of him. 

“What happened to the Emperor?” Leia questioned and Mara shrugged with a bit of carelessness.

“Do you wish him back young Princess?” She questioned and Leia felt a chill run down her spine. “His ruthlessness crossed a line and myself and Lord Vader dispatched his deserving end,” she said coldly and Luke could take no more. He opened his mouth to ask his millions of questions but realized he suddenly couldn’t speak. His mouth opened once or twice more when he felt her presence once more open up to him and it made his knees go weak.

 ***Not now my love. Perhaps another time I will have answers for you,*** she cooed into his mind and he stumbled back. 

“What of Darth Vader?” Another General questioned, his voice full of distrust and anger that made Luke bristle. Mara felt his reaction and her eyes narrowed in the new voice’s direction.

“I see Palpatine’s prejudice was not just cultivated in the Empire, the Rebellion has fostered it as well,” she snapped and Leia’s eyes narrowed. “Granted, he is an evil Sith Lord so perhaps you have right to think ill of him,” she amended. “But I am not,” she informed emphatically and Luke let out a shattered breath, that news hitting him hard. She wasn’t a sith. She couldn’t be. “And I have found good in him. He is no longer a threat to you. The Sith cycle of two has been broken and I will work my hardest to make sure it never rises again.”  
It was like she was trying to turn him into a puddle. His eyes closed and he gripped onto the console in front of him to remain standing. 

“This is a lot to process,” Mon Mothma finally spoke and Mara nodded once.

“I imagine it is. Change is always a difficult pill to swallow. In three standard months I’m offering you a chance to send a small delegation for negotiations here at New Coruscant,” Mara began and Leia grabbed onto her brother. “I’m not a fan of wars and I am ready for this one to end,” she stated matter of factly. “We will be in touch,” she finished and Luke lurched forward when her image vanished. 

***Make sure you are a part of that delegation, my love,*** her voice cooed sweetly into his mind and he closed his eyes as her touch brought comfort to his freaked out soul. He was having a hard time grasping what had just happened. 

“It’s her,” he choked out to no one in particular. His wife. She was alive… and she was the leader of the Empire. 

“Luke,” Leia called trying to get his attention and Luke raised his shields, shutting Mara out of their bond completely. His blue eyes met his sisters and he let out a breath. 

“Princess Leia,” Mon Mothma called and Leia nodded, her grip on her brother not lessening. This was changing everything. Leia felt emotions slamming into her all at once. Her brother’s leaked through his shields onto her but also a small furl of hope. Could this change the fate of the galaxy… or destroy it forever? 

“I remember,” Madine suddenly mumbled and the silent room turned to the ex-imperial. “She was his toy,” he said with a shake of his head. “Stolen her at birth and raised her as a weapon,” he added and Luke felt his anger at that. “Met her once. She was impeccably trained but no more than a teen.”

“Is she trust worthy?” Mon Mothma questioned, having no faith in the answer.  
Madine shook his head. 

“I don’t know. One chance meeting doesn’t mean I know her. She was trained to be his ultimate servant. She was called his Hand, I didn’t know she had a name,” he admitted and Luke felt as if he was going to throw up. He didn’t know she had a name?! “If she turned on him, it must mean she has a moral compass,” he said thoughtfully and a man beside him snorted.

“Murder does not usually negate a moral compass.” 

“When you turn against your very nature because something you see is bigger than what you believe and deserves to be protected then yes, that proves she has a moral compass,” Madine snapped, his eyes narrowing as his own story came to mind. “That girl turned against the man she was raised to look at like a father yet I know for a fact he never showed her any such kindness. I would like to be a part of the delegation,” he offered with a bowed head to Mon Mothma and the woman let out a breath. 

“As would I,” Luke finally found his voice. All eyes turned on the Jedi.

“I am not sure that would be a good idea Commander Skywalker,” Mon Mothma said gently and Leia bit her lower lip. 

“I’m not a Commander anymore,” Luke said with a smile, his commission long relinquished. “Jedi are for peace. I want to show them that. That we aren’t there to hurt them but to help them,” he added.

“I do not wish them to kill you,” Mon Mothma stated flatly and Luke blinked at her frankness. “We will consider your request though. We have a lot to do if we are to believe this,” she stated gently. Indeed they did. 

///

**Present Day**

“Are you ready to see her?” Leia asked softly and Luke glanced at his left hand where a small rubber ring rested that had a gold thread woven around it. He had made it himself and had woven her hair into it. His commitment to her would never be forgotten or undone. 

“No,” he admitted honestly and Leia nodded.

“It’s an odd feeling,” Leia admitted. “I’m terrified of her, of the power she has yet a tiny part of me hopes my sister-in-law likes me,” Leia murmured, her face twisted into the absurdity of that and it was exactly what  
Luke needed. He laughed. 

“She knows a lot about you,” Luke confessed. “I told her everything I knew. Would have told her more if I could have,” he admitted remembering her easy smile and laughter. 

“It doesn’t matter. There was no way you could have known,” Leia tried to sooth and he let a sad smile overtake his features.

“I’ve seen the inside of her soul Leia. She is in my mind, half of me is half of her and half of her is me and I didn’t see this. I didn’t see her being on that side. I didn’t see her being a complete trap. She’s dangerous. Terrifying,” he admitted painfully. “Yet, I love her and will forever.”

“She is dangerous but she also overthrew the Emperor. She turned Vader to her side and has opened peace for us. We can’t trust her but we can’t ignore this chance she has given us. I think she gave it because of you brother,” she soothed and Luke smiled patiently at her.

“I’m not sure if any part of us was real,” he confessed honestly and Leia couldn’t answer that. She didn’t know if it was either. She felt the ship land and she steeled her back, Luke standing beside her. “It doesn’t matter though. Not in the big scheme of things. What matters is the door she has opened. Let’s walk through it. Let’s get peace,” he said with resolve holding out his hand to her. Leia smiled, her head nodding as she took his hand. She tried to send strength his way but she hadn’t figured out how in the world he did that. He was so powerful yet so humble. She wished she could take away the pain all this must be giving him. How strong he was to stay beside her and hold her hand. Ready to walk up to the woman he swore his love forever too only to find out she had been a lie. Had been put there on purpose just to trip him up. She had hated that Han was right. The no good scoundrel didn’t even say I told you so. He had just sat silently with Luke and helped him try to digest it. Digest that his happiest memories were a lie. She sucked in a breath and pushed that all away. She had to focus. 

They left the small quarters on the transport to meet the rest of the delegation that was watching the ramp lowering. For many of them it had been the first time they had seen or stepped on Coruscant in years. 

Rows of men and women dressed in dark green and white uniforms stood at attention flanking the walkway before them. Their different faces and races were visible as a new symbol rested on their shoulders that Leia had never seen. 

“No Stormtroopers,” Crix Madine mumbled as they slowly stepped off the transport, seven in all for their delegation. It consisted of one Jedi, two Generals: Madine & Muloff, Winter Retrac, the Princess of Aldaraan and two guards. 

“We are the Army of the New Order,” a voice greeted them. “We welcome you to New Coruscant,” he continued motioning the glittering technical utopia before them. “I am General Renald. If you would please, we ask you to set your weapons to stun. Our Empress wants you to feel comfortable. They may stay with you as long as they remain on stun. We have put ours on the same setting as well,” he motioned and the three army men beside him showed their weapons obediently showing them indeed in the stun position. “Jedi Skywalker please feel free to keep your lightsaber,” he added and Luke nodded once, his beloved weapon hanging from his hip and gleaming in the lights. “If you are ready?” He asked motioning towards the looming palace before them. 

“Here we go,” Leia breathed and Luke held his arm out for her. She tucked her hand securely into his. 

 

-=-

 

It was almost like she remembered. She hadn’t walked these halls since she was a teenager, overwhelmed by them as the youngest senator to the republic. It was darker. Not as many bright colors as she remembered…

“I’m working on that,” a voice greeted and the seven turned to see a woman walking towards them, her heels clicking gently on the ground. “The Emperor had a taste for black and red. I vaguely remember the old Republic and don’t think bringing back some of it, perhaps in just color to start, would be a bad thing,” she continued and stopped before them, her hands crossing in front of her and she looked the very part of a ruler. Her hair was like golden fire and it was woven up in braids that almost created a crown around her head. She wore fitted pants with a flowing green train that followed from her waist as a traditional yet beautifully cut tunic top that was high necked with long sleeves covered her frame with threads of gold woven through it’s brilliant hunter fabric. “You should work on your shields Princess, your brother is remiss in his teaching for you,” she smiled, gently casting a look to the Jedi beside her. 

“He’s been busy,” Leia offered as an excuse for him and Mara Jade nodded. 

All at once she heard the whirring of holorecorders as they switched on. The grand corridor had about seven of them flanking at a polite distance as guards lined the walls. The Empress stood alone about twenty feet before them, no one in her delegation except General Renald about thirty feet to her left.

“Welcome to New Coruscant,” Mara began and Leia steadied herself. She felt her brother send encouragement to her through their bond and she felt overwhelmed by a minute for it. Here she had been waiting to support him for before him stood the woman he had fallen in love with and secretly married acting as if she didn’t know him. Yet, he was there for her, there for the Rebellion. 

“Thank you for having us,” Leia began, her voice sure and Luke smiled at her. “It seems we had a common enemy and I look forward to seeing what else we might have in common,” Leia finished and Mara’s lips curled up in a small grin. 

“That is a polite way of saying we both hate bigoted tyrants who kill people for no reason other than his whim,” Mara mused and Leia smiled innocently at her. “I’m not much of a politician. Afraid I’m too honest for it. I spent my whole life in war, fighting and in lies. The entire galaxy has and it’s time we stop,” Mara began and Leia clasped her hands in front of her elegantly, giving the woman before her, her rapt attention. 

“I agree. The Rebellion was started when we lost our rights. They were stolen from us in the haze of war. We fought for them tooth and nail because each person should be protected no matter their race. Each person should have a voice,” Leia said smoothly and Mara hummed in agreement. The woman before her wasn’t what Leia was expecting. She expected cold and detached but the woman before her was vibrant, not warm but not off-putting either. “Allow me to introduce our delegation to you,” Leia began, untangling from her brother as her years of court training came back to her mind. One by one she introduced the painstakingly chosen who were to attempt a treaty with this enigma woman. “General Crix Madine,” she offered and Mara stepped forward. 

“Do you remember me?” She questioned, stopping Leia’s introduction and Madine nodded with a small smile. 

“You have grown,” he added and she nodded. 

“I am glad you got out,” she stated and he raised an eyebrow at her. “You are a clever man. You followed my instructions well. You did not deserve to be on his hit list,” she said and turned to the next in the delegation, yet the introductions had stopped as they all just openly stared at her. 

“You? You tipped me off?” He questioned and she cast him a glance then turned back to the Princess. That information hit Madine like a hurtling space freighter. For the longest time he had chalked it up to luck. He hated the empire, what they were doing was wrong but the opportunity to leave seemed impossible until he received a slim chance… she had done that? 

“I’m afraid I know who you are Princess Leia Organa,” Mara began stepping before the Princess. “Your record is quite impressive. I saw you address the senate once. It was,” Mara paused a moment. “Very moving. Your father was very proud,” Mara added sincerely and Leia couldn’t speak. “Thank you for coming. I must admit I was hopeful they would send you so I could meet you in person,” she added conversationally and Leia curtsied as appropriate decorum requested. She cursed herself later for doing it but she was too stunned to do anything else. Mara stepped past her and stood before the last of the delegation, her green eyes capturing his bright blue. Both had their shields firmly in place and she curtsied, her head suddenly bowing. The action made the soldiers do the same, as those lining the walls quickly followed their Empresses’ action.

“Jedi Skywalker,” she greeted and Luke bowed in return. “It is an honor,” she breathed. “It makes me happy to have a Jedi back on Coruscant. I can never apologize enough for what has happened to your order but you have my promise and protection that if you ever need anything to rebuild it, we will help you.” 

A few gasps from their own delegation hit Leia’s ears and she sighed inwardly at their lack of propriety. Yet, she understood. The Empress of the New Empire just promised her brother protection and help to rebuild his Jedi Order. She had bowed to him, showing him respect. To the others in their group it must have been quite astonishing. That she did it with holorecorders broadcasting across the galaxy was even more telling. 

“I am not all that is left and we will rebuild. I plan to keep us as far away from government as I can. The Jedi are not politicians, we are peacekeepers. Yet, if you need us, I will be there,” he offered with a bow of his head and Mara smiled easily. 

“Very wise,” she offered than turned back to Leia. “Shall we continue this conversation?” She offered motioning with her head and Leia stepped up beside her, flashes going off around them as the two women stood side by side. Equals yet not allies yet. That was a great starting point.

-=-

Mara Jade walked with purpose into the gilded room before her, a large ornate table dominating its space that could fit over a hundred. Twenty guards stood around the room silently and she turned as the doors closed behind General Renald and the seven delegates of the Rebellion. 

“Forgive me. I grew up among balls and glittering spectacles and have no taste for them. I’d rather have a real conversation than waste your time wining and lying to you,” she announced with a bored air and Leia flat out grinned. 

“Perfect,” Leia agreed.

“I figured you wouldn’t mind, so let’s get started,” she offered motioning to the seats before them. 

-=-

He had tried to meditate to ease the tension all over his body but each time he did she knocked on his shields. She wanted his attention. He bet she did. He wished he could block her fully from him but she had easily slid back into the spots carved for her in his mind like she belonged there. She did but he was still raw. He couldn’t not think their entire relationship was a lie, a plot by Palpatine to break him. Even her own words came back at him, that she had no future, was not a Jedi, and she would be his death. Yet, she hadn’t. Han’s words that it had all been a trap hit him once more and he didn’t want to agree with him but the evidence was glaring him right in the face. Mara Jade had been a plant by the emperor to destroy him… and destroy him she did. He let her do it with great joy because having her even those few months was worth everything to him. 

“Han would be jealous,” Leia’s soft voice filled the room. “A bed like that and he not here to steal the sheets,” she mused trying to get a rise from her brother and he smirked at her. 

“If you wish to swap stories dear sister be prepared for the backlash,” he teased and Leia let out a breath. She felt his tension. She had many of her own. This was no pleasure trip. Mara was firm yet logical. That was their shining hope. She was logical. 

“Does she want to see you?” Leia asked gently and Luke pressed his lips together thoughtfully. He had asked himself that question as well. Mara had been the epitome of professionalism, yet she was never one to show her hand. She had teased him often about that, that it was ok for Jedi to be mysterious once and awhile.

“Why would she want to see one of her old missions? She has already offered me more kindness than I expected,” he replied and Leia nodded. Indeed she had. 

“She doesn’t identify as force strong. Seems to be our little secret,” Leia breathed and Luke nodded looking out once more at the glittering lights of the metropolis beneath them. 

“Wise of her. She never really wanted to be a Jedi and I can’t blame her,” he added, his fingers absently turning the ring on his ring finger. 

“She wore a ring,” Leia offered and Luke pressed his lips together.

“She wore a few,” he added and Leia nodded. “All practical of her station.” 

“Yet, one on her ring finger,” Leia reminded and he turned to her.

“What do you want from me Leia?” He questioned bluntly and Leia stilled. “She is the Empress of the Empire. She isn’t some refugee in a cell. She is running the government that has been trying to kill us for the last twenty years,” Luke reminded her and Leia felt guilt wash over her. “It’s kind of you to remember that I’m your brother and that I have stupid emotions that cause me to fall in love with damsels in distress that are absolutely perfect for me but what if her perfection was all a lie? How could she have been so perfect? What a fool I was to think we could fall in love so fast? That we had been meant to be?” He questioned and Leia didn’t know what to tell him. “He used her against me to make me turn to the dark side Leia,” Luke bit out and Leia felt her heart break for him. “I was so close. I was so angry, he deserved to die making me watch her wither and die for me,” Luke struggled, his voice hitching. “If those storm troopers hadn’t kidnapped me and rushed me out I would have taken my weapon and struck him down,” Luke’s voice was hard and full of grit. The memories were still fresh in his mind, her body being electrocuted in front of him. “It had to have been a force vision. A mirage before my eyes,” he admitted looking away from her. Leia moved to comfort him yet stilled. He didn’t want her to touch him. He was still stuck between mourning his love and her betrayal. More so confused because was it a betrayal? 

“First and foremost, I am your sister,” Leia whispered and Luke turned gathering her into his arms. The hug was needy and she wrapped around him tightly, letting him squeeze onto something that was real. It wasn’t much comfort, but it was all she had to give and she was thankful he was taking it.

-=-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for your comments! They always help me write faster ;)  
> Many of you commented how you hadn't seen a Mara like this and I think I tapped into a Mara before she had become her most jaded. The Emperor's death was a tragic event for her that I believe reshaped her entire mainframe. It magnified the monster Palpatine had so delightfully tried to make of her as nothing more than a weapon with intent to destory. I'm enjoying exploring a new path of her to where you have Luke and her meet before such a drastic shift. I have another story I'm writing just like that and it opens up an entire new world of emotional and character possibilities. :) Nerdtastic right? Thanks for reading!


	4. Aren

It hurt to see him. 

“Of course it does,” a deep voice said beside her and Mara Jade’s deep emerald orbs flicked lazily up to the man a few feet away from her. He was always there. She didn’t mind him. He looked better now. “We Skywalkers tend to love deeply and it effects our mates greatly,” he admitted with a sad breath and she smirked a bit. 

“That wasn’t in my mission brief,” she mused, recounting the six months she had spent preparing to meet Skywalker. To know how to be everything he needed… so that the emperor could destroy him. 

“You didn’t follow a lot of that mission brief,” Vader noted and Mara smiled a secretive little smile as her eyes glanced away from him. 

“Marrying him was his idea,” she smirked and Vader huffed. She glanced at her ring finger and slid the band around her finger. “He was wearing a ring today. Perhaps it still counts as much for him as it does for me?” She mused and Vader listened patiently. Mara Jade wasn’t one to prattle emotionally. His son did things to her. Made her human and he saw that as a good thing. 

“He will come. His thirst for truth is too strong,” Vader rasped and Mara glanced back at him. He no longer wore black. The plastic suit that held him hostage had been upgraded but still no flesh was shown. There was none really to see she knew. Yet the dark brown and green that encased him was more comforting to her. 

“Should I tell him?” She asked though she already knew her answer. 

“I am proud of you,” Vader breathed and Mara closed her eyes as those words washed over her. Words she would have killed for just a few years ago from her master. Yet, words she had waited so long for they didn’t mean much anymore… 

“For being a terrible subordinate?” She questioned and he nodded his head.

“For being a terrible subordinate,” he replied and she almost heard the grin in his voice. 

-=-

He had never been in the Imperial Palace before. Never even seen a planet this technologically advanced. Yet as he walked silently through it in the middle of the night he knew exactly where he was going. She was a beacon to him and it pulled him to her. 

He walked through an open door and stilled as it closed easily behind him. Lumas were lit around the room but the high ceilings still added an air of darkness as night claimed this side of the planet.  
She sat in a high back chair facing the long floor to ceiling windows, his eyes greedily taking in her profile. How he had stared at that face and memorized each curve. 

“Mara,” he called gently and her face turned towards him. Clear emerald eyes met his and he recognized that sadness. She had it whenever her face was at rest. She glanced away, a sad smile on her painted lips. 

“Have you come for your answers Skywalker?” She asked softly and her voice vibrated down his spine. 

“I would have liked to come for my wife,” he shot back, his voice cracking against his will and she was on her feet, her movements elegant and graceful. They always were from her years of dancing. Her boots and formal tunic were gone leaving her in a flowing robe and pants but her feet bare. 

“Could it be that simple?” She questioned a bit hopeful and he slowly closed continued forward. He couldn’t stop his feet. He had to make the gap between them smaller even though everything in his mind told him to run. He shook his head gently.

“No. Nothing between us is simple,” he responded honestly. “I guess I couldn’t have been that lucky huh?” He asked and she tilted her head towards him.

“I’m still a little bit better than a droid aren’t I?” 

“We’re you supposed to kill me?” He questioned and she shook her head once.

“No.”

“We’re you sent to get info on the Alliance out of me?” 

“No.” 

“If you were supposed to help turn me why did you train me so hard not to fall?” He asked, just three steps away from her and she only held his gaze. He let silence fall between them as she held his gaze. She was always so damn brave. “Was it him that attacked you in your cell?” He demanded and her gaze flicked away from him. 

“Yes, he was attune to my emotions and when one activated it caused a trigger response,” she replied honestly, her hands gently clasping behind her back and he sucked in a painful breath. 

“That’s why you had layers of shields,” he admitted to himself, some of the pieces of her finally starting to make sense. “Emotions don’t activate,” he chastised her and she shrugged a shoulder.

“A biological response,” she answered simply. 

“Was I biological response?” He demanded, his voice a snap but it didn’t phase her. She was prepared to let him vent. He deserved to vent.

“You caused many biological responses from me.” 

“Did you love me?” He asked, firm and unyielding and she smiled. That smile he felt was his, that was cocky and brilliance. Han would have called it a smuggler smile. 

“Are you assuming I stopped?” She asked and he felt her reach out to him through their bond. He stilled her advance to him and she took a step back from the obvious rejection. 

“How did you do that?” He questioned gently and she blinked. “How did you link us through the force when I was a mission to you?” He breathed and Mara’s eyebrows knit at the question. He felt her confusion for a moment and then her shields were up in place cutting him off. She turned away from him.

“Of course, the Jedi Mating Bond. Indeed, it was hard to do,” she muttered dryly. “Even harder hiding it from the Emperor for over a year,” she hissed. “Pretty convinced he would have killed me on the spot for such weakness, but I was trying to secure my mark, no matter that it would tie me to him forever,” she bit between her teeth. 

“Tell me something true about you,” Luke whispered and she grabbed a glass beside her chair and took a swallow of the fire whiskey. It burned on the way down and she winced. Felt similar to what he was doing inside her. 

“I trained for six months to stay in that cell beside you,” she admitted. “Palpatine knew you were like your father. A woman would be your downfall,” she murmured walking away from him, taking another gulp of the brown liquid. 

“My father fell over a woman?” He questioned surprised and Mara glanced over her shoulder at him.  
“Your mother. She was the Queen of Naboo than a senator for the Republic. Looked a lot like Leia. Your father accused her of being a traitor when she tried to help him escape the dark side. Thought she had chosen Obi Wan over him,” she began to rattle off and Luke walked towards her. “She died of a broken heart after giving birth to you and your sister. I even know which one of you is older,” she said turning to him but he was upon her. His hand gently grabbed her chin and lips stopping her from spitting out more info. When his skin touched hers it was like an explosion. Their force shields rocked as deep inside cried out desperately for the other. Her fingers reached out for him automatically, curling into his tunic with a fierce grip as the glass she was drinking from clattered to the ground forgotten.

“Tell me I was more than a mission to you,” he pleaded and her eyes closed, her lashes fluttering against her cheeks and his chest tightened. He didn’t want to know the answer. He wanted to pretend for a moment longer that someone as glorious as her could have been his, could have fallen in love with him as desperately as he fell for her. He opened his mouth to stop her but he couldn’t. He had to know. 

“There is a hidden storehouse of Jedi artifacts and history in the bottom of my palace,” she whispered against his fingers, her eyes opening to penetrate his own. They were darker, full of purpose and it sent a shiver of excitement through him. “It will tell you very clearly that you can’t force or fake a Jedi Mating Bond,” she growled and pushed roughly away from him. 

“I would still be in love with you without it. I loved you before it and will love you long after it. If it was all a lie, I’d still do it over again because I’d rather have the lie of you than nothing, ” he confessed and she spun on him. He caught her as she flew at him, her shields dropping and his as well as her lips touched his after a painful mourning period. He wrapped them quickly into a shield of their own to protect their outflow to any other force users as their kept emotions and memories flooded over each other. His anguish at her loss, how he tortured himself that he would never feel the softness and bite of her kiss again. Her torment at betraying him, of making him suffer. Suddenly she clicked in his mind and her entire life seemed to flash before his eyes. When they had fused before his entire life flashed before her yet he only got pieces of her. Her love for dance. Her harsh training at the hands of a monster he could never identify. The loss of her parents. It was only seconds but it felt like eons as he truly saw the woman before him, the gaps being filled instantly. It flashed in moments, some longer than others but the pictures were clear and made sense. A young child raised as a weapon, to only do her master’s, the Emperor’s, bidding as he constantly punished her and fed off her pain. Her first kill executed perfectly when she was twelve and then the severe punishment at her weakness because she had thrown up after. He knew everything about her and her thoughts and she couldn’t escape him so had trained herself mercilessly to shield so she could have a moment, just a moment to herself to be weak.

Then her sitting in a cell beside him, watching him sleep beside her. She moved hesitantly to reach out and touch him. The flutters of her heart as she fell for him yet hid them deep inside so the emperor would not know. She had been surprised by his kindness, his honesty, and his passion for the Rebellion. Her propaganda against him was proving false and it was battling against her logic. Her attraction to him was unexpected as his gentle care for her shook her to her core. No one had ever been kind to her. Rationally she took that as her mind playing with her that she was just reacting to the first person ever being kind to her, yet after a few weeks that excuse didn’t hold up. She was invested. Cared about what happened to him when she definitely shouldn’t. 

Then he saw her flying through the air after Palpatine had snapped her neck. He knew that scene well as he’d played it over in his mind for months yet in her version she didn’t hit with a sickening crack and cry, instead she rolled landing nimbly, getting to her feet effortlessly and silently. Luke watched her stand and dust herself off, turning calmly to see his reaction as he started to scream and fight to be free of the men holding him. She looked back to the emperor and saw him cackle with evil as he played an image that only affected him. He began to scream her name and she winced, her legs starting to buckle and she leaned back on her heels. He felt her realize the moment he was starting to turn to the dark side and she erected a shield around her, the emperor was too preoccupied with watching him fall that she was not even a blimp on his radar. She grabbed a hold of the two storm troopers minds holding Skywalker down and ripped into them causing them to jolt up, grab Skywalker and escape with him before the Emperor could react. She had saved him…

He saw an image of her throwing up than shakily looking into her bathroom mirror, a hand skating across her flat stomach and a jolt hit him. She was pregnant…

_She knelt before the darkened throne, her body covered head to toe in a black form fitting jump suit, a lightsaber hanging at her hip and basters at her thighs. She felt the Emperors anger hit her but she wouldn’t wince._

_“How could you be so careless?” He snapped, his voice like a virus that ate at your very soul. “Get rid of it immediately.”_

_“If he didn’t turn at her death, perhaps he would turn for his child? If not, the child could be force strong and could be raised to take my son’s place,” a deep voice said from the left and Mara clenched her fingers into her palms yet did not move. Vader stepped towards them and the Emperor sneered at him._

_“So be it. Keep it for now.”_

_It flashed to a cold medical room, a delivery droid placing a crying little bright bundle into Mara’s eager arms. The baby soothed as she held it tightly in her warm embrace, a tuft of blonde hair around her temple._

_“I have been instructed to take the child from you. The Emperor wants you in his chamber,” the droid informed reaching towards her and Mara’s danger sense flared._

_“Of course,” Mara responded openly. It flashed a moment later to see the droid in pieces and her limping out of the infirmary, a small bundle hidden in her robes._

_It flashed next to her slightly cleaned up in the Emperors throne room. Her body ached painfully but she wouldn’t show it. Vader stood beside her as they waited word from their Master._

_“I have had a vision,” he croaked. “The daughter of Skywalker will not turn. She is too strong in the light already. I’ve had a garrison sent to kill her,” he announced and Mara felt Vader jolt beside her._

_“The future is always in motion,” he said and the Emperor looked at him with boredom._

_“Not my future,” he snapped when suddenly a cry went off in the room. Mara immediately wrapped a shield around the small bundle she had hidden upon entering and then suddenly she gasped. The Emperor was off of his throne walking towards her, his hand outstretched as his invisible fingers clutched at her throat._

_“How dare you defy me!” He bellowed and then released her neck to shoot lighting at her, the blue flames distorted by darkness licked at her mercilessly. “You have been shielding from me?” He demanded and her body flew backwards, unimaginable pain shooting through her very structure. “For him?!” Vader stepped aside as his Master stood beside him, attacking the prone Jade who refused to scream out. “You are weak to have fallen in love with him and now I will kill you and his useless child,” he snapped shooting more lightning at her with venom when suddenly it all stopped. The floor vibrated as a bright light shone behind her closed eyes with a flash of heat over her frame. She couldn’t catch her breath. Every inch of her was on fire and when she forced her eyes open to discover if she had died she came face to face with the lifeless, oddly contorted head of her master. The snap hiss of a lightsaber turning off caught her attention and she glanced up to see Vader standing over her. He had cut down his Master. For her._

_“Love is not weakness,” he announced and she couldn’t gasp in air. His hand gently touched her arm as he leaned down beside her. “I’m going to put you in a healing trance but when you wake up you will take the Emperors place,” he commanded and she quickly looked to her left where her child lay and he touched her head gently, trying to caress her dull curls. “I will protect her for you,” he promised and she felt the tears streaming down her face._

_“I will not rule like him,” she ground out painfully and Vader nodded as he gently put her into a healing trance to heal her punctured lungs and body._

_“You will be far superior.”_

Luke ripped away from her in shock, his breath coming in heaving gulps. Immediately he rushed back to her, his hand moving her robe down her left arm to see silver light scars littering her arms and chest. He almost choked. His fingers ran over her reverently. She had given up everything for him… for their… His eyes met hers and she didn’t flinch. He grabbed her hand, pulling her across the room to a small door he had seen in her mind. She followed easily as he opened it to a bright and soft looking nursery. He dragged her inside to a small crib where a luma gently illuminated a small child no more than four months asleep. She was so small… He turned to Mara pulling her into his arms, his hand tipping her face towards him and she wrapped around him willingly. 

“How unworthy I am of you,” he choked out as his emotions almost overwhelmed him. She smiled feeling his undying love for her and now for the small child asleep before them. She leaned forward capturing his lips, her hands grabbing onto him possessively and he wrapped around her as his lips responded fervently to her own. She tasted like home and his heart cried out for her, his pain at losing her slowly vanishing as he once more held her in his arms, caressed her and made her lips his own. He heard a door shut and realized she had pulled him back into her quarters, her hands greedily pulling at his tunic to remove it from him. He pushed her robe off her shoulders and bent down, kissing the creamy skin of her shoulder up her throat as his hands grasped her hips, pulling her up against him. She moaned when her fingers finally found the flesh of his chest, his body warm and inviting to her. His lips took hers again as he savored this moment, how she felt, how she smelled. He pushed her up against the side of the bed and then a small smile came to his lips. She felt amusement through their bond and she pulled away, her green eyes glittering with want and desire at him.

“What?” She teased and he cupped her face, his body pressed intimately against her own and her heart thudded with excitement. 

“This is the first time I’ll make love to you out of a cell and not against metal,” he grinned and she smiled lovingly at him. 

“We could get on the floor if you like,” she offered, pushing his tunic finally from his frame and going for his pants. Her finger ran across his lightsaber and she smiled at him. “I’m glad you made another,” she whispered and he leaned his forehead against her. 

“Glad you taught me how to make one. One of us has to enjoy being a Jedi,” he teased and gently pushed her into the bed, crawling over her and her heart thudded, her eyes devouring his face and eyes with loving familiarity. Her fingers ghosted across his cheek, adoring the smoothness of it and he smiled at her approval of him without a beard. He pulled up her shirt, ridding her of it and his eyes drank in her beauty that was his and his alone to have. 

“Mighty possessive for a Jedi,” she taunted with a smirk, enjoying his appreciation for her. 

“Forgive me my flaw my love?” He asked and she melted under him. “I won’t rid myself of it because it is my favorite,” he smirked as his lips attacked her defenseless flesh slowly sinking down her shoulder as his memories of what she loved and responded to came back to him, her excitement spurring him through their bond. 

“Her name is Aren,” she whispered lovingly and he lifted his head, his eyes meeting hers and she felt his burst of joy through their bond. 

“Aren Jade Skywalker?” He teased and she laughed, her body wrapping around him and her laugh touched him deeply. He adored her laugh. His lips captured her own as his hands moved to possess the body soft beneath him. Her force sense spiked as her laughter turned to a deep thirst that he was ready to fulfill. 

-=-

She lay sprawled across his chest in sleep. He could tell she didn’t sleep well and for the first time she felt safe and wanted since she last saw him. She indeed was. 

Her deep red curls were tickling his neck and chin and his fingers slid slowly over her soft skin, skimming over barely there raised scars that she had endured for him. She was flawless and stunning and his.  
A small cry filled his ears and he felt a small force probe hit him. He blinked and reached back, the cry stopping as their force senses mingled. Gently he slid out from beneath his love, her frame curling easily into the soft confines of her bed. He tossed on his pants and quickly walked into the adjoining nursery. When he did he encountered bright emerald eyes staring at him, her tiny form lying on her back, her eyes looking for him. One of her small hands reached out for him and he immediately scooped her into his arms, cuddling her against his chest as he washed love for her through their small bond. She felt perfect in his arms. So right. It almost hadn’t hit him fully that he was a father. That this small cooing bundle was his and Mara’s. An expression of their love. A fierce need to protect her washed over him and he smiled lovingly at her. She made him a father. More than just a Jedi, more than a Rebel. 

“Hello Aren,” he whispered lovingly then his eyes flicked to the left. “Hello Father,” he greeted and Vader stepped forward into the dim light of the luma beside Aren’s bed. Luke felt his emotions buckle seeing the frame before him. It was not the man he had remembered from Bespin. He felt arms wrap protectively around him and he felt Mara wash comfort over him as she pressed against his back. 

“There is good in him,” Mara breathed across his ear and Luke nodded. 

“I feel it,” he whispered and Mara glanced over her lover’s shoulder at the man who stood a few feet away from them. “Thank you for protecting my family,” Luke breathed, his voice choking with emotion and Vader nodded once. Mara pressed her cheek against the warm skin of Luke’s shoulder and sighed with contentment. 

“I am proud of you my son,” Vader breathed, his voice modulator falting a bit and Mara smiled, closing her eyes at the sound of emotion in Vader’s voice. Luke felt her thought and his heart warmed. “Proud of your sister as well,” he added gently and Luke smiled. 

“She is going to marry a smuggler,” Luke announced and Vader shrugged one shoulder lightly. 

“You married an assassin,” he countered and Luke smirked as Mara’s laughter rumbled against his back. 

“Yes, I did,” Luke smiled gently kissing the small bundle resting in his arms, her blonde curls bouncing as she tried to grab onto his chin. 

“Her day begins in a few hours,” Vader reminded as he moved out of the light and back to where he had come. “Make her get some sleep.” 

“Starkiller,” Mara hissed at his need to always be the responsible one. She lifted her head and ran her lips gently over Luke’s shoulder, her arms still tight around him as he held their daughter. Suddenly a million questions entered Luke’s mind. This moment was perfect. What he had always dreamed… how was this going to work? How could he watch his daughter grow up? 

“You’ve had enough answers for tonight farmboy,” she breathed against his skin and he felt Aren’s frame sleeply curl into him. 

“Forgive me for being greedy,” he replied softly and she closed her eyes in contentment. 

“Never apologize for that farmboy,” she admonished and he smiled lovingly, his entire being filled with joy. 

-=-

The sun was barely rising but she was already up and readying for the day. He watched her greedily, his daughter playing with his fingertips. 

“Can I tell my sister?” He questioned openly and Mara Jade let out a breath, a smile still on her lips as she fastened her tunic in place, it was a deep purple that highlighted her stunning hair. It was like yesterdays style, high necked and long sleeved. Elegant and royal yet hid her scars. 

“I do it not because I’m ashamed of them,” Mara began, her eyes catching his and he smiled adoringly at her. 

“They represent my freedom, my choice to choose what I wanted for once,” she grinned at him and he sent affection through their free flowing bond. “I hide them so the Rebels won’t see my weakness,” she snarked and he shook his head at her. 

“Might endear them to you,” he offered and she shook her head. 

“I want their respect, not their pity. They can join me or not, they aren’t my priority,” Mara said honestly and he glanced at the cooing bundle looking up at him with bright emerald eyes. “She’s a princess. The heir. I have to create a world for her. A world worthy of her,” she breathed and Luke felt her burden and quickly took it with her. She felt him come beside her through the force and it let her take a deep breath. 

“What if she chooses to be a Jedi?” Luke questioned with a teasing smirk and Mara shrugged a shoulder. 

“That will be her choice. She gets a choice. That is the one thing I can give to her that I never had, the freedom to choose,” Mara said with a sad smile as she looked on the perfect bundle making a mess of her bed sheets. Luke sat up, his hand catching hers and pulling her to him. She went easily, her eyes catching his own and she felt his desire and affection wash over her. She adored his openness. It was refreshing. “She is yours as she is mine. If you wish to share her that is your decision but no one knows about her save Vader and a handful of servants. I’d like to keep it that way as long as I can,” she said pointedly and he nodded. Finding out there was an heir to the Empire that was half Imperial half Rebel Jedi wouldn’t really go over well. Their union wouldn’t go over well either. “No, it would not,” she whispered and he lifted her left hand, his finger rolling over the simple band that rested there. He stilled pulling it closer. 

“This is an ancient Jedi language,” he sputtered attempting to read it and she looked at him patiently, full of love. 

“It says beloved. Your father made it for me,” she answered and he looked up at her adoringly. “He took it rather well when he discovered our cell block marriage. He only tried to choke me once,” she said with amusement and Luke let out a breath.

“Is he good to you?” He asked and she nodded once. 

“He owes me a life debt,” she admitted and he tilted his head curiously at her. “For giving you a life,” she taunted and he smirked out right. “I have to go,” she breathed leaning towards him and he quickly pulled her into his arms. “He will come get me if I am not there to start my duties,” she smiled lovingly and he claimed her lips, pulling her against his chest. She melted against him, her hands grabbing onto him greedily. He pulled away with difficulty, his lips a hairs breath from her own. 

“I love you,” he confessed and her eyes flickered open to stare into his own. 

“So it seems,” she grinned, claiming his lips once more deeply. She pulled away with a small groan and turned heading towards her door. He watched her go with a bit of pain in his heart and she cast him a glance. ***Talk to you later my love,*** she whispered into his mind before she pulled up her shields. He sighed losing her presence but knew he would just be a distraction to her. A gurgle caught his ears and he turned with affection to the little girl that was looking up at him. His little girl. 

-=-

She adjusted her robes gently as she walked slowly down the ornate carpeted hallway. She had been instructed to meet here at this time and she glanced at the Rebel guard beside her escorting her. He looked ready for a sith lord to jump out at any moment. Han was her preferred guard but she understood why he couldn’t accompany her here. She was lucky they let her brother come along. She let out a breath. She had gone to her brother’s quarters this morning and he hadn’t been there last night. That could be a good sign or that she had killed him… 

“It would be a shame to kill a Jedi,” a female voice said suddenly and Leia jumped. Her brown eyes quickly took in the frame of Empress Jade and she tried to calm her breathing. “Especially that one,” she added with amusement. 

“You must stop doing that,” Leia said firmly and Mara Jade smirked with a fake innocence at her. It reminded her of Han and it made her heart jump. 

“You must learn to shield. As a leader of the Alliance your poker face won’t save you from force sensitive’s,” Mara said gently, her hands clasped behind her back and Leia listened patiently. “Although, you did withstand Vader,” Mara mused motioning with her head forward. Leia fell instep with her as they slowly walked the hall. 

“I hope you didn’t want an audience with me to chastise me about my force usage,” Leia mused and Mara shook her head once. 

“More pressing than that I am afraid,” she began. “Force usage is a light topic.”

“Are we to discuss something heavier?” Leia offered and Mara pressed her lips together thoughtfully. 

“I am no politician Princess,” Mara began and Leia clasped her hands together to give her something to do. She wasn’t use to these types of discussions anymore. She had gotten use to war. A leisurely political discussion wasn’t her default anymore. “My reign is temporary,” she added and Leia blinked, her feet stopping. Mara did as well. 

“You don’t pull punches,” Leia hissed and Mara shook her head. 

“The Senate needs to be reborn. It needs to have the time to be reborn and in the empire’s current state it cannot. Cutting off the head of the monster did not kill its many offshoots. It is my responsibility to clean up my former master’s mess and the way that Vader and I will do that is not the way a young budding leader needs to do,” Mara continued patiently and Leia felt a cold chill run up her spine. Her meaning was very clear. “Vader and I are soldiers on a good day but mercenaries the rest. We were built to fix problems and not work with them. We are a dying breed and that is a good thing.” 

“But Luke,” Leia stuttered out suddenly and Mara raised a cool eyebrow at him. “I understand why you feel it needs to be that way but it doesn’t. You have created a good start, let’s build the senate together,” Leia offered emphatically and Mara reached out and gently took the older woman’s hand.  
“You are speaking as a sister and not a politician,” Mara breathed gently and Leia gulped. Her hand was warm and her eyes were too kind. “I need you to be prepared to take over this government, to bring back democracy. When I finish I will be prepared to take the consequences of my actions. I do them to prepare a world ready for democracy. It is not ready yet. You know that as well as I but I need you to keep the Alliance patient with me. They can take their anger out on me when I am done.” Her voice was calm and determined and Leia felt her fingers slip from her own as she continued walking. 

“I can’t believe that. I have to believe in another way,” Leia stammered walking after her. 

“You can believe whatever you like Princess,” Mara said kindly and Leia let out a frustrated breath.

“Leia,” she hissed and Mara glanced at her. “You married my brother, the least you could do is call me Leia,” she growled and Mara stilled before her, her expression patient and understanding. It made Leia angrier. 

“Don’t you care that your actions could condemn you to prison the rest of your life once the Democracy comes to power?” She demanded and Mara didn’t even flinch. “I watched my brother mourn you and I refuse to watch him see you rot in jail for being a war criminal,” Leia spat. Mara turned away from her easily, continuing her walk.

“I am already a war criminal, probably far worse,” Mara said quietly and Leia grasped her arm forcefully. It happened automatically. Mara reacted and Leia felt it happen in a whir. One minute she was grabbing the Empress’s arm and the next she was on the ground, a blaster in her face, panicked eyes above her. 

“Stop!” She heard her guard announce and Leia couldn’t breathe. Mara quickly pulled back, the small blaster disappearing back up her sleeve as she looked down with sadness. “Hands where I can see them,” the guard demanded holding his weapon up to the Empress and Leia heard other weapons quickly being drawn. 

“No! Stop!” Leia cried quickly coming to her feet. “Stand down. It was my fault,” Leia cried putting her hand on the man’s gun and Mara took another step back. “She never meant me harm,” Leia breathed. 

“Forgive me, I am late for my next appointment,” Mara breathed bowing her head and Leia rushed forward. Mara winced quickly moving back from her. 

“No, I’m sorry. Please,” Leia breathed, the haunted look she saw in Mara Jade’s eyes frightening her. Yet, as quickly as it was there it was gone and Mara’s cool indifference was once more on her. 

“Empress,” a voice said approaching them and Leia stiffened. Mara quickly stepped in front of her, her face taking in Lord Vader as he approached. 

“I’m fine Skywalker,” she spat at him and Leia gasped. She glanced over the red heads shoulder to see the frame still. His voice was the same but he didn’t look like the evil sith that she still sometimes had nightmares about. Mara motioned for him to leave and he turned, returning the way he had come. Mara was still standing protectively in front of her.  
“Mara,” Leia breathed and the woman before hers’ head fell gently.  
“Have patience with me Leia,” Mara whispered and Leia could hear her heart thudding in her ears. “Let me rebuild the world he tried to destroy. I could think of no worse thing to piss him off with,” Mara said with a small smirk as she turned back to the brown haired Princess.  
“I think falling in love with his enemy probably pissed him off greatly,” Leia mused and Mara’s lips curled up, her emerald eyes twinkling.  
“Yes. That did piss him off indeed,” she smirked turning to continue down the hall. “Till later sister,” Mara called over her shoulder and Leia let out a shuttering breath. That went way worse and better than she expected…

-=-

Luke stepped quickly into his quarters that adjoined his sisters.

“Leia,” he called, sensing her disquiet and she turned, a glass of whiskey at her lips that she was gulping. “It’s nine in the morning,” Luke informed her calmly and Leia nodded finishing off the drink. He watched her wince as it traveled down and smiled at her lady like manor as she delicately placed the glass back down. 

“She calls him Skywalker,” she said, her voice a little hoarse from the strong liquid that had just fired down her throat and vocal cords. 

“Our father?” Luke questioned with a raised eyebrow and she nodded putting a hand on her chest. The liquor was starting to hurt now. Dammit. She wasn’t a drinker. Stupid sexy smuggler who was a bad influence on her… “She calls him Skywalker?” Luke repeated a bit surprised at that. “I haven’t figured out their relationship yet. She isn’t his master and he isn’t her father figure,” Luke thought out loud and Leia could only just stare at him dumbly. She didn’t give a flip what the hell they were to each other. Luke caught her agitation and looked back up at her. “Right, not important,” he agreed. “I do need to tell you something important though,” he began looking behind him to make sure the door was closed. 

“Luke, I love you,” Leia began, the liquor now flowing through her veins giving her a bit of courage. “But I think your wife is a murderer,” she spit out a bit guiltily and Luke’s mouth shut. “Or will be or doesn’t mind letting Vader kill people,” she rattled off. “I have a super bad feeling about this. I mean, how air tight is your marriage? Technically, she isn’t a Jedi so a Jedi marriage doesn’t count right?” Leia began, her brain trying to find a solution to her brother’s now murderer wife issue. 

“She and I have a daughter,” Luke blurted out. She stopped before him and blinked at him a few times. 

“One second,” she breathed turning back to the small table and pouring another glass than chugging it back in a very unladylike fashion. Luke waited patiently as it fired down her throat and she composed herself. She returned to him, her eyes a bit glassy and she smiled wide. “That is awesome. Congratulations!” 

“Nice recovery,” he sighed and she deflated before him. 

“I can see why you married her. She is stubborn as all get out and smiles like Han,” she sighed and Luke hummed through his teeth.

“Not why I married her, that would be weird,” he clarified and she sighed. He opened his arms and she fell into them messily. Gently he sent her a picture of his daughter through the force, her perfect blonde hair, sparkly green eyes and Skywalker chin. 

“Oh Luke,” Leia cooed and he felt her immediate love for the child hit him and he smiled. “Your daughter is the heir to the Empire,” she whined and Luke nodded. 

“We’re going to try and not tell anyone that for a few years,” he sighed and Leia nodded. 

“Quick, sober me up so I can go negotiate something,” Leia slurred a bit and Luke grinned down at her.

“Not really how the force works,” he chastised and her eyes narrowed at him. 

“Then it’s a stupid gift,” she sighed and he smirked as she straightened herself, put on her best politician face and headed towards the door. 

“She took that well,” he breathed to himself and he gently sent out a tendril to Mara, brushing up against her sense lovingly. She brushed back and he smiled, turning to follow his sister out. 

***My love, I accidentally pulled a blaster on your sister earlier. Just thought you should know,*** his wife’s voice in his head stopped him and he let out a breath. 

***Holidays will be difficult for us won’t they?*** He questioned and he felt her amusement hit him. 

***Well, your father will definitely make them memorable,*** she mused back as he fell in step with his sister.

***You call him Skywalker?***

***He hated when I called him stubby,*** she shot back defensively and Luke let out a laugh. Leia turned to him alarmed. He glanced at her calmly and smiled. 

“Did she pull a blaster on you?” He questioned and Leia’s eyes widened. She grabbed his mouth covering it quickly.

“No. Shut up. It was totally my fault. If the rest of the delegation hears it will be awful,” she spat heatedly and Luke smiled removing her hand from his mouth. 

“She liked you,” he soothed gently and Leia huffed.

“Yes, she wants me to rule the damn galaxy,” she growled and Luke tilted his head curiously at her.


	5. Shaky Truce

She force jumped, her body flying through the air to seamlessly tuck and roll, her frame turning fast, lightsaber at the ready. He charged forward, his red blade blazing and her purple held against his own as they quickly slashed against each other, the blur of lights moving like a choreographed laser show. She gave off a yell of frustration and threw her hand forward shoving her opponent backwards and he responded in kind, his feet stumbling back but he yanked her saber out of her hand with the force. She backflipped away from him, flying across the room to an area of safety. She landed on her feet in a crouch and called her lightsaber back to her waiting hand as he charged back at her, his red saber whirring.   
Suddenly she stood, straitening as she held up a hand. He stopped immediately. Their heads turned to the doorway together. 

“This is really disturbing for me,” Luke Skywalker stated calmly, his bright blue eyes taking in the scene before him with a mixture of horror, jealousy and awe. Mara Jade and Darth Vader were having the most epic lightsaber battle he had ever seen. Granted, the only one he had technically seen was the one between Obi Wan and Darth Vader and that wasn’t super impressive…   
Mara let out a breath, her braid sticking to her sweat covered skin as she tried to calm her heart rate. 

“I’d say anger leads to the dark side but I feel like that’s wasted advice,” Luke mused with a small grin walking toward them and she felt her lips curl up in a smile. 

“Glad you can laugh about this,” Darth Vader mused and Luke shrugged a shoulder. 

“This is kind of like a joke. A Sith, a Jedi and an assassin all walk into a gym…” he trailed off amused and Mara re-lit her light saber. He caught his wife’s mischievous intentions through their bond and he smoothly unhooked his light saber as he heard his father’s light saber re-light as well. She felt his stab of remembrance as that red blade entered his peripheral. 

“Do you need me to apologize for your hand?” A dry mechanical voice asked to his left and Luke ignited his blade, his eyes narrowing at his father. “If it will make you feel better,” he taunted a bit and Mara attacked first. Luke was ready for her, his blue blade entering the foray as he centered himself in the force. His wife on one side, his father on the other… this was going to be interesting. 

A few minutes in he reached out to his wife and suddenly their force presences locked. He felt her every thought and move. Knew which way she was going to go and she him. She shifted quickly moving to the other target that didn’t know her MO. 

“Aren’t you both formidable opponents,” Darth Vader mused as they worked together against him. Suddenly they were both tossed back like dolls and Mara rolled landing smoothly on her feet as she shut down her saber. Luke squatted to stop his fall as he fell to his knees, his light saber turning off as well. 

“Cheater,” Mara hissed standing. 

“The Force is always my ally,” he mused turning off his saber and bowing to them both. Mara bowed formally back. “Mara,” he said with a bow of his head. “Son,” he said in farewell and Luke stood tall once more. Mara rotated her wrist stretching it out. 

“Ready to go again farmboy?” She questioned and Luke let out a breath, relaxing into a defensive stance. 

“Would you rather just tell me what is bothering you?” 

“I’m running an empire. There are a lot of things that bother me,” she shot back turning back on her saber and rushing towards him. He defended, his lightsaber crackling against hers and he pushed her back causing her to take a few steps backwards. He grabbed at her lightsaber with the force and tossed it away from her as he stalked towards her. He felt her surprise over the move wash over her as her face displayed the same emotion. He was upon her swiftly, pushing her back until she hit one of the padded walls of the training room. 

“I can think of another way to ease your tension,” he promised, his voice low and it sent a shiver down her spine. Her hands grabbed onto him greedily as his lips captured hers, his fingers sliding into the waistband of her workout pants. Her felt her excitement spike through their bond and he opened up to it, sending sensations towards her that made her gasp hard. Her legs wrapped greedily around his waist, there senses groaning with want and desire as their bodies pushed into each other. 

“Oh, I really like the way you think,” she ground out, her voice hoarse with need as her fingers clawed at his shirt, ripping it off of him. He pulled her small top off and stared openly at the supple flesh now free to him. She smiled a bit shyly at his open appreciation for her. His eyes flicked up to her as his hands roamed free, claiming and rubbing. Her head hit the padded wall as she arched into him, his force sense increasing her pleasure with an expertise she didn’t really expect from him. Yet, he was always surprising her. He was very strong in the force. A bright shining star. She cried out suddenly and his lips captured hers, swallowing her cry as his own. There wasn’t much she thought was better than a lightsaber duel… this was definitely one of them though. 

 

-=-

She watched him lazily, her body relaxed in the opulent sheets of her bed as he ran his fingertips up her back, his eyes trying to memorize every piece of her. He was trying to distract himself from the fact the delegation was leaving tomorrow. That he would have to leave behind his other half and their daughter. The small bundle he barely had time to get to know. 

“I love you Luke,” Mara whispered, her eyes lovingly taking in the selfless man before her. His lips spread wide as her declaration fired on all levels. 

“You took the failure of your mission with me very well Empress,” he soothed, kissing her shoulder and she grinned. 

“You did kind of turn my world upside down,” she admitted and he grinned pulling her closer as his lips traveled across her shoulder blades to her neck. 

“I don’t feel bad about that.” 

“Me neither.” 

“Have you made a plan of how this will work Jade?” He breathed as she slid closer to him, his hands now exploring under the sheets and her breath hitched. 

“What makes you think I have a plan?” She questioned as he moved her hair out of his way to kiss up her neck. 

“You always have a plan.” 

“You ruin my plans Skywalker,” she giggled and he smiled then suddenly sat up catching her eyes.

“Speaking of that, I’m not going to knock you up again am I?” He asked and she laughed once more, sitting up. 

“OK, I did plan against that, I didn’t think you’d friggen seduce me in a jail cell,” she grinned, her hands cupping his cheeks. 

“That’s kind of what Luke Skywalker does,” he smiled nipping her lips and she laughed as he pulled her into his lap, his fingers scrolling across her skin lightly. 

“Not anymore he doesn’t,” she hissed and he shook his head, his hand smoothing across her face and into her hair. 

“I almost didn’t make it without you,” he confessed, his voice breaking a bit and she wrapped her legs around him tightly. “If you wouldn’t have been training me,” he said, his gaze falling and she pulled it back up, their eyes locking. “When your bond snapped from me,” his voice broke and she held him tighter. 

“It was a gaping hole, a raw wound that didn’t have a recovery,” she filled in and he nodded, their force senses greedily devouring the other as they exchanged their despair. How they suffered knowing the other wasn’t there… “It made me fearless. I didn’t care what they did to me anymore, would have defied them much earlier if I wouldn’t have found out about Aren,” she admitted and he nodded. 

“Yes, I kind of do all of the Rebellion’s suicide missions,” he sighed and she punched him causing him to wince. “Ow, Mara!” 

“You have a family Skywalker,” she spat heatedly at him. Her hands grabbed his head forcing his eyes to meet hers. “We are here, I won’t hide from you again. No one can keep me from you,” she breathed and he gripped onto her, pressing his forehead into hers. His thumb ran down her arm and glanced at her left wrist where her bracelet lay. “So I couldn’t fight him back,” she offered and he brought her wrist to his lips, kissing the small two-holed scar that rested as the last remnant of his hold on her. 

“I love you Mara,” he breathed reverently and she nodded, settling teasingly in his lap and he smirked up at her feeling her desire peek through their bond. 

“That’s nice. Enough mush,” she grinned and he nodded.

“Yes, Empress.” 

Her laughter flooded her chambers at that. 

-=-

“Empress,” a smooth voice called and Luke winced, sleep flooding from him as he felt Mara stir in his arms. 

“An Imperial Class Star Destroyer has come out of hyperspace near our orbit. They have sent a cruiser down to the Imperial Palace. It shall be here in an hour,” the smooth mechanical voice continued and Luke’s eyes blinked open. Mara snuggled back into his arms letting out a quiet groan into the pillow. 

“Baby,” he mumbled into her hair.

“Sorry Jedi Skywalker for waking you. I thought a battle cruiser eminent was urgent.” 

Luke’s eyes floated to the droid above them and he smiled a bit into his wife’s hair. 

“Indeed it is Tella,” Mara grumbled. “Tella, my husband,” she motioned over her shoulder at the lump beside her and the droid nodded. “Husband, darling, this is Tella,” she sighed rolling over to burrow into his arms. 

“Still have an Imperial Admiral coming,” she tutted as she walked away and Mara let out a long breath, a smile still on her lips as she settled in Skywalker’s warmth. 

“Would it be so wrong if I was your husband for real? If I stayed and helped you?”   
Her head lifted, her bright emerald eyes catching his own. 

“A Jedi married to an assassin?” She offered and he let out a breath. “It will be hard to rebuild the Jedi Order in the enemy camp.” 

“You are not my enemy. There are other ways to bring this galaxy back.”

“Hm, your sister and you are very much alike indeed,” she breathed, kissing his lips soundly before slipping from his arms. He scooted after her as she wrapped a robe around her frame, untucking her glorious hair. It had gotten so much longer since last he saw her. Granted, she looked so much different clean and not in prison fatigues. 

“This could be our happy ending,” he whispered and she spun on him. He felt her shields flare up and he winced. 

“Skywalker,” she scolded and he let out a breath. She moved towards him, hiking up her robe to climb on the bed and face him. “I am a murderer. I did each of them of my own violation to please a mad man. There is no coming back from that. I wasn’t in war. I was a mercenary. There is no happy ending for that. You are already more than I deserve,” she confessed, her hands cupping his face and he gripped onto her. “This will never be forever. We are living with stolen moments you and I. Aren is a stolen moment,” she confessed, her voice cracking and he shook his head, ready to rebuke her but she kissed him. Kissed him long and possessively. When she pulled back his closed eyes scrunched in pain as she pulled her force presence slowly away from them letting them become two people once more. “Do not make me choose between you and what I am meant to do. You will not like my choice for I cannot have both. What I do is to bring back a galaxy that he destroyed. It is my job and my burden,” she hissed and pulled away from him completely. He slouched, his face scrunching in anger. Anger that the emperor, though dead, still had his wife as his prisoner. She slapped him across the face. “Get out.” 

“Mara,” he breathed, apology on his lips and she moved to slap him again yet his hand caught hers, yanking her into his arms. “My love,” he begged and she shook her head, her hurt flaring at his thought before she shut him out completely. 

“Empress,” a voice said quietly and she tore from Skywalker with force. 

“Get him out of my chambers,” she snapped and Luke let out a breath to not let his anger once more take over him. His gaze turned to look at his father’s as she stormed from the room. 

“You cannot change her,” Vader breathed gently. “She has been a tornado of will since I met her. Once decided she will not break from her goal. She knows no other way to be,” he admitted and Luke turned from him to dress as his father gave him privacy. 

“How can I help her?” 

Vader turned to look at his son’s hunched shoulders, the burden evident upon him and he felt compassion. He understood that stance. Had it himself and he walked quickly towards him. 

“She does not need help. She just needs you to be you and let her be someone that can be married to you in the brief moments you can,” he admitted and Luke closed his eyes. “You must look at her as a gift and not something you can have. I understand,” he breathed and Luke glanced at him. “I loved your mother deeply. She was much like your sister. Her heart for the people was stunning yet I wanted her to myself. Wanted to keep her safe forever,” he admitted and Luke stopped breathing. “In trying to keep her forever it became my weakness and I turned to the dark side with the promise I could keep her from dying. That I would never lose her like I lost everyone else,” he confessed and Luke moved towards him but he held out a hand stopping him. “In the end it was I who killed her. She died from a broken heart. Do not make my mistakes son. She needs you but you must take her as you can get her,” he cautioned and Luke nodded quickly. 

“Thank you father,” he choked out and Vader gently put his gloved hand on his shoulder. He squeezed it in the only way of affection he knew he could give. 

“Will you tell me about your sister?” 

Luke smiled sadly at him and he nodded as he placed his opposite hand on Vader’s other shoulder.

“I would love to.” 

-=-

“This has been a great start,” Princess Leia Organa admitted and Empress Mara Jade nodded with a small smile.

“We are indeed on a long journey,” she admitted as she stood before the delegation once more like she had done when they arrived.

“We look forward to talking with you again Empress,” Winter breathed with a bow of her head and Mara nodded to her. “Perhaps we could come on a quarterly basis?” 

“So you may keep checking up on me Madam Winter?” The Empress questioned smoothly and Winter didn’t flinch. 

“I kind of like you. They would be more social visits,” Winter replied easily and Mara smiled out right. Leia was caught by it. She was beautiful when she smiled.

“What a good liar you are Madam Winter,” she teased and Winter nodded her head with a smile. “I am sure this will not be the last I see you.”

“Or me I hope,” General Madine added as he stepped forward. The Empress held out her hand and he kissed it, bowing his head to her. “If you are ever in need of a General to help you wrangle in your vast navy I am happy to consult,” he offered and she smirked. 

“I shall keep that in mind,” she offered. “Speaking of navy, one of my Imperial Star Destroyers is currently in our orbit. Your shuttle shall be escorted out until you safely reach hyperspace,” she added and Leia raised an eyebrow at her and she stepped closer.

“They unhappy we are here?” 

“It is currently changing hands,” Mara added and Leia nodded, her gaze catching the emerald before her and she had the urge to pull the woman into her arms. Mara shook her head gently, offering her a kind smile and Leia let out a sad laugh. 

“I shall have better shields next time,” she admitted and Mara smiled. 

“Forgive me,” a male voice said and the delegation turned to watch Jedi Skywalker approach. “Afraid I got caught up in Jedi History,” he admitted sheepishly and Leia tensed seeing a figure walking up with him. She felt a hand gently grasp her arm and she blinked looking to see Mara holding her arm in comfort. Leia forced herself to relax but the rest of the delegation was on edge as well. 

“This is my right hand Lord Skywalker,” Mara introduced and the figure bowed his head, keeping his distance. 

“Without a cruel man pulling his leash he is actually quite charming.” 

“Empress,” he snapped at her and she smiled at him. 

“Skywalker?” Madine breathed and Luke nodded.

“He is my father.”

Silence hit the delegation and Mara waited patiently. Madine reacted first and turned directly to Leia. She let out a patient breath.

“It’s a long, complicated story,” she admitted. 

“I demand an audience!” A voice growled as a commotion occurred at the far end of the corridor. Vader and Luke took a defensive stance in front of the group, the Rebel guards as well as a man walked in, a white cape on his shoulders over his sharp grey uniform. He strode with purpose and anger, a group of storm troopers flanking him. Mara stepped forward quickly, pushing Luke gently to the side and he felt her sense brush up against his purposefully as she passed. 

“Mr. Glen,” she greeted. “We meet again so soon. Did you find our meeting this morning unsatisfactory?” She questioned calmly, her hands clasped before her. The man’s face turned red as his eyes widened with anger.

“Unsatisfactory?” He spit out, saliva actually flying from his mouth. “You dare ground me? You are nothing but a lowly hand for the Emperor and should have died with him. How angry he would be that you hold the Rebels in the palm of your hand and do not crush them! Kill Organa and Skywalker now and it will cripple their rebellion!” He ranted and Mara took a step to her left blocking Luke completely as Madine did the same in front of Leia. 

“How unfortunate for you to think that. The Rebel Delegation are my guests and is so under the Galactic Order’s protection. You will remove yourself from this chamber immediately,” she ordered, her voice firm and even. She had barely raised her voice but Leia still shook a bit at the power she radiated. The Admiral openly sneered at her. He motioned with his hand and the stormtroopers raised their weapons. All at once they were yanked from their hands and they stepped back in alarm. The weapons crushed in midair than hit the floor. Admiral Glen turned furious eyes on Lord Vader.

“You dare choose her over your former master!?” He demanded and than suddenly his breath caught and he quickly grabbed at his collar. 

“Perhaps we should take this conversation elsewhere Admiral,” he offered and Leia stepped forward through Madine and grabbed onto her brother. 

“No matter what you say I will never serve you. We are rising up against you and the glory of the old Empire will return, we will never serve her,” his voice cut off as his windpipe snapped and he fell lifelessly to the floor. 

Silence filled the room and the six storm troopers stared up at them with shock.

“Choose your side wisely or meet the same fate,” Mara announced as Vader stepped forward, other guards as well as they quickly ushered them out. 

“Empress, you cannot just kill people who disagree with you,” General Madine breathed, his eyes tense as he looked at her. 

“That is one simple way to look at that,” she mused and he blushed at her rebuke. “He was going to murder your Jedi,” she mused stepping up to the fallen admiral. She pushed with her foot and revealed a blaster in his hand. “Even if he wasn’t, he had picked his side. I am afraid this is why there can be no senate at the moment. There are some who are too far deep with the Emperors bidding. It is my job to prevent them from rising up into power. I will not apologize for securing people’s lives by taking the few that wish to keep them enslaved. I brought you here not to secure peace Princess but to secure hope. I am not your enemy but will defend myself if you make me yours.” 

“The reason Palpatine fell is because he refused to give up his power. The power used to do what you just did in deciding who is right and who is wrong,” Princess Leia breathed stepping up to her and Luke closed his eyes, shaking his head slowly. 

“Actually, Palpatine always wanted power and he manipulated your mother’s world, crushing half of it in the process to get it. I did not ask for this and will happily give it up when my time is done. Were you not just doing the same in starting a war against him? Deciding who was right and who was wrong?” She demanded stepping forward and Leia took a step back. 

“My mother,” Leia whispered, her voice shaking a bit and Mara let out a breath, stepping away from her. Luke stepped forward, gently squeezing his sister’s upper arm. 

“Empress Jade,” he called and Mara stilled, her fingers curling into her palms. “The survival of this galaxy is too big for one person to bare. I recommend a treaty to be struck between the New Order and the Alliance. We cannot control each other but the foundations you all laid out this weekend were the same. You all want peace. It is my job as a Jedi to help you secure that,” he voiced and Mara gently turned back to him. 

“I hate to call a Jedi naïve,” she began and he stepped towards her, a smile on his face.

“Than don’t. We must part today as allies,” he insisted and Mara’s gaze softened a bit at him. He reached out through their bond and she lowered a shield letting him flood in. 

“If we were not allies, I would have killed you already,” Mara stated soundly and Luke’s smile didn’t waver though he felt the horror of his other delegates. 

“It would be a shame to kill a Jedi, his sister and your favorite Rebel General,” he teased gently and Mara let out a breath. 

“He is not my favorite,” she spat casting Madine a look and he smiled a bit at her. “Madam Winter is my favorite,” she admitted and the white-haired woman smiled at her. “Now please go before someone else tries to kill you,” she snapped motioning with her hand and Luke bowed to her. She bowed her head back. He held out his hand and she put hers in it, letting him kiss it softly. 

“You are doing well Empress Jade. Have patience with us and we will have patience with you,” he promised and she nodded. 

“The Jedi Archives are yours and you are free to come here anytime to use them,” Mara breathed and he looked up at her thankfully. 

*Anytime?* His voice gently asked in her mind as the delegation moved to say their farewells to her. 

*Anytime my love,* she promised and he sent his love to her as he walked away. Each step felt wrong and she sent strength to him, pushing him forward with the force. *Be strong for me,* she begged.   
Madine kissed her hand and Winter curtseyed, Mara returning to her calm when suddenly arms wrapped tightly around her. She stumbled forward a step and gently patted Leia’s shoulder. 

“I will not give up on you sister,” she whispered into her ear and Mara let out a breath, controlling her emotions. Leia leaned back, gently cupping the red head’s face in her hands. She was stunning, her brother was a lucky man. Mara blushed and Leia winked at her before following her delegation out. Mara turned, walking to another exit. 

“Stay strong, stay strong,” Luke whispered over and over to himself and Leia quickly grasped his hand. 

“Stay strong, stay strong,” she gently began to chant to him when suddenly they both felt a shot of emotional anguish then silence. “She loves you deeply,” Leia breathed and he nodded, covering her hand sweetly as he clutched her to him. 

“We are one,” he struggled out and she kissed his cheek sweetly. 

“Who are you one with Jedi Skywalker?” A voice asked softly and the twins looked up at Winter before them, her all knowing eyes gazing down on them curiously. 

“Nothing,” they responded as one as the transport came into view.   
-=-


End file.
